


Circus

by Marinne_Karneval



Category: D.Gray-man, Vocaloid
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Gen, Horror, characters suffering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2019-10-24 12:38:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17704415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marinne_Karneval/pseuds/Marinne_Karneval
Summary: They got him out, and he made a promise he couldn't keep.He got older and stronger, and then he got involved in the Holy War.And now, he has the chance to make things better for them. He had a chance to return to that hellish place, where the Ringmaster is ten meters tall, and the cast is jolly and their forms are rather strange.He'll return to that blasted circus, and maybe this time... he might be able to save them.





	1. Drop by and see it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drop by and see it. Deep into the forest. Far, far away in the back. Were the ringmaster has big eyes and is ten meters tall. Were all the cast is jolly and their forms are rather strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is based on the "Dark Wood Circus" song by Vocaloid. It's not necessary that you listen to it, but I do recommend that you do, so you can understand a little bit better what's going on. 
> 
> It is also inspired by Phildel's album "The disappearance of the girl", you don't need to listen to it, but if you want some background music, it would be a good choice for the mood this story has.

It was cold and it was dark. Just as it have been yesterday, and the day before that, and the one before that. She had no doubt it would be the same tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and so on.

 _How long has it been?,_ sometimes she wondered.

One? Two? Maybe three?

But three what? Hours? Days? Months?

They didn't dare to think about the time that has passed, wouldn't be healthy for their poor unstable minds. But time doesn't matter anymore; it hasn't mattered in a very long time. They had been trapped in there for so long, hadn't been free to wander around without any chains holding them back. They knew there was no hope for someone to come and save them.

Nobody cared for them.

Nobody wanted them.

Nobody knew they existed anyway, what would be the point of bothering with such issues, when there were more pressing matters to attend to?

Tonight is show night, and they are the main stars.

She could hear them, the people. Shuffling their way into their seats, carrying food and drinks to enjoy the night. Waves of anticipation and amusement traveling through the air, all the way to the mysterious performers behind the curtains.

"Big Sis, are you alright?" whispered a tiny voice.

"Yes. Everything is alright."she answered stroking a blonde head.

"There are more people than usual." whispered another, fear and uneasiness.

"Do not fret about anything, just focus on the show. We have to make Master proud of us."

She would have liked to give her fellow performers more encouraging words, but as footsteps approached them, she dared not to. She didn't want to bring  _their_  wrath upon them.

"It's everything ready, Diva?" A cold, yet melodic voice spoke from behind them.

"Yes, Master."She answered looking back as the figure made its way to them.

Dressed in black, from head to toe, was their precious Master, observing in pleasure as the younger performers shied away from the cold black eyes staring down at them.

"Very well. I expect nothing, but good results. We don't' want to repeat the same… incident from Marseille, am I right?" The Master gave them a cruel smile, cold fingers caressing the Diva's cheeks.

"No, Master." Responded several voices.

" _Parfait_. Let the Despair guide us tonight, my lovely children."

Light touched the performer's faces as the Master opened the curtains; the Diva heard the excited murmurs of the audience, waiting with anticipation for the show to start.

_Ladies and gentlemen… be welcomed! Tonight we'll be showing you the sad fate that some of this world carry._

There was a pause, they heard the sad melody at the background, shushing everyone into silence, getting louder and louder as the show began. The sounds of the staff moving around, keys dangling from their fingers, moving closer to them.

_Children that God has abandoned restlessly, creeping out._

She felt cold hands as they took off the collar, feeling the light breeze of the night caressing her skin. She lifted her head to take away the turban from her head, letting her long hair flow behind her, and the majestic pair of ivory horns into view.

_Children who can't even carry the trembling limbs they were born with._

Sounds of chains falling to the ground, as they stood up and stretched their long limbs. Both looked at each other, as they held each other's hands, trying to keep their balance. She fixed her dress and hair, as her partner took the top hat and placed it on her silver hair.

_Their shaking tongues accidentally crying out._

Sounds of a cage opening, letting him wander around for just one more night. Waiting in anticipation as a young man took off the muzzle from his mouth, but left the white jacket over his arms. A light growl erupted from his chest as the staff bounded him on chains once again, keeping him in place, like a dog on a leash.

_The crowns in their heads that carry the dark clouds._

She lifts her skirt, as a young girl took off the chains from her legs, hooves-like steps echoing in the silence as she stomped her feet on the ground. She fixes her hair one more time, before putting the long black gloves over her arms and hands. Taking a deep breath, she takes a black mask from the waiting hands of the young girl, and puts them over her eyes.

_They smile as they dream of their mother's embrace._

They stood nervously as a girl and a boy, not much older than them, fixes the collar from their cheerful clown-like costume, uncovering the stitches on their body. They don't dare make a single sound, as they are handed a basket filled of rose petals to throw over the floor.

_And, oh the deformity!_

Gasps filled the audience, with murmurs of surprise following them. They could feel the thousands of eyes setting themselves on the curtain covering them. Shining with wicked delight and curiosity.

_Drop by and see it. Deep into the forest. Far, far away in the back. Were the ringmaster has big eyes and is ten meters tall._

They could see as the large shadow that was the Ringmaster being illuminated as it took its place on the center of the stage. She could imagine the public's eyes widening in shock as a pair of white eyes stared back at them.

_Were all the cast is jolly and their forms are rather strange._

They walk to the red curtains, gathering in a line, ready to take their place on the much dreaded show. The younger ones on the front, prepared to open the act, with the tallest ones at each side. The girl dressed in white, standing next to her, and the growling boy right behind them.

_Drop by and see it._

As the curtains unfolded themselves, the light caressed them, and illuminated their pale skins. The little ones, brother and sister, took a step directly into the stage, and the audience edged forward to get a better look.

_Drop by and see the Dark Wood Circus._

"It's show time." she whispers and so it begins once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, as you can see I added a girl with horns, which is not the Deformed Diva that appears on the song. The girl is Luka in the song of Circus Monster. You guys can check it out, and as to why I decided to include her, I will explain everything as the story goes on. I am sorry if I caused any confusion. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, see you guys next time!


	2. The disappearance of the girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peaceful days were something common on their little town in Wales, but everything changed when the circus came.

Peaceful days were something common on their little town in Wales.

They were calm and honorable, the people of the town. They worked hard every day to provide for their families. They were polite and respectful to one another, and would always be willing to help their fellow habitants. Mothers would walk around the market to buy the ingredients for dinner, and could lay their eyes fondly on their children playing around the town's main plaza. The kids' laughter would be carried around the town with the breeze, and brought a smile to the elderly folk.

It was a happy and peaceful place, that little town in Wales.

But tragedy struck one day. Their little would never be the same, after the disappearance of one little girl. Brown hair, with wide brown eyes filled with wonder and curiosity. The girl with the red dress and the red shoes. Maria Baines was her name.

It started like any normal day, tragedies always begin that way. It was one of the first days of August, warm breeze and orange leaves decorating the trees, when something special came to town.

It was about lunch time, when they arrived. In the middle of the town plaza, now decorated with colorful balloons and colorful paper streamers all around, were standing a boy and a girl of about 13 years of age.

Both had short blond hair, the boy tied in a low ponytail, and the girl held it back with a white hair band. They were waving and smiling happily at the people from the town, handing out flyers and balloons to everyone. Normally people wouldn't pay them much of attention; however their attires were peculiar enough to call their attention.

Or rather their attire.

Both were dressed and shared a one piece bright yellow and orange clown suit. Their bodies were completely covered by the suit, except for only an arm on each side, along the baggy pants that allowed only a pair of feet covered by red shoes to be seen. Their necks were covered by white fluffy collars, letting only their heads into view.

They gave off the image of being two heads over one body. This only elevated the people's curiosity and got closer to figure out what was going on.

"Drop by and see it!" Yelled the young boy.

"Drop by to the Machigerita Circus!" yelled the girl.

A traveling circus, they found out. A rather welcoming surprise for the habitants of the little town. It was normal for their town to receive visitors; they were in the port after all, but a circus wasn't something you saw everyday.

Children and adults alike whispered excitedly as they received flyers from the blond-haired siblings. The circus would only be staying for one day; therefore they would only be giving a performance that very same afternoon. Nobody on town would be missing it.

Not even one little brown-haired girl, currently standing in the plaza.

Her gaze was fixed on the smiling twins, amazed and curious at the same time. Little Maria Baines had never seen someone like them; they didn't look like any of the other kids from the town. Their blue eyes were shaped differently, a little slanted; reminding her of the almonds her father was fond of.

Here brown eyes then met the blue ones from the girl, and she received a kind smile.

"Come to our circus." She said as she handed Maria a flyer.

"It's very fun, you'll see." The boy continued and gave her a pretty red balloon.

They smiled gently at her and little Maria felt her own lips turned into a shy smile. They were nice, the boy and the girl with the clown suit and the blue and orange strikes over their cheeks. She wanted to ask them the reason behind them wearing only one clown suit, instead of each their own, but someone interrupted them

A tall girl dressed in a brown dress made her way through the crowd, until she was in the sight line of the twins. Her expression was blank, and her brown eyes uncaring of anything around her, only focusing on the blond boy and girl in front of her. The little girl in the red dress noticed how their smiles disappeared when turned around to look at her. They nodded at her, and then looked at her again.

"We need to go to prepare for the show. Bye-bye." They said in unison and quickly left the plaza.

Maria looked down at the piece of paper in her hands. It was white with big letters saying  _Welcome to Machigerita Circus_. There was also a drawing of a circus tent, with a yellow star at the top, and a strange figure appearing inside the tent.

She smiled lightly, and left to look for her friends, there was no way they would miss the circus show.

When the sun began to go down in the horizon, people slowly came out of their houses and made their way to the edge of their little town. Maria saw signs perched on the trees, showing the town folk the way, deep into the middle of the forest. She smiled in joy, she had always been told to stay away from that place.

 _You could get lost and we might never find you._  Her Mama always said in a worried tone.

 _There is no reason for you to go the forest. There is nothing there to see, anyway._  Papa told her one day.

 _It's a dangerous place, that forest. There are bad things in there._  Granny says whenever she vists her for tea and cookies.

Maria Baines never understood the reason the adults never allowed the children to go to the forest. Maybe they feared that something like  _Red Riding Hood_  could happen to any of them, but the little brown-haired girl didn't believed it There were no big bad talking wolves or monsters in the forest, they were just stories. Just like the ghosts.

She looked down at the flyer in her hand, the very same she got from the twins and smiled. Little Maria and her friends followed the rest of the town, deep into the forest where the giant red and white stripped circus tent stood proudly in a clearing. On top of the tent, written on a wooden board read  _Machigerita Circus._

The circus's cast was a set of young and joyful individuals.

At the entrance they were greeted by two girls standing on top of stilts, ten meters from the ground. They smiled and waved at every member of the town, inviting them to get inside the tent for the show. During the show every cast member sang, and danced the whole time, lifting everyone's spirits, and filling the whole place with happy laughter and awed expressions.

The girl in the pink dress would sing in different languages with an angelic voice, it warmed the heart of every member of the audience. The girl dressed in white, with the turban on her head, would dance and perform acrobatics around the stage, alongside the blond twins. The blue-haired boy with the covered mouth throwing knives at the board and never missing a target. Other performers, wearing masks and dressed in color outfits would go around the place making jokes and handing out balloons and throwing paper streamers.

It had been a joyful afternoon, one that the whole town would remember for the rest of their lives. Because while everyone was busy smiling and discussing the best parts of the show, they failed to notice that someone stopped following the rest of the crowd.

You see, something caught little Maria Baines's attention.

She saw the twins walking to the back part of the tent, and as curiosity got the better of her, she went after them. They stopped once they reached the red and white tent, and as not to alert them of her presence, the brown-haired girl hid behind some bushes. The twins turned their heads to look at around them, a cautious expression on their faces as if they were expecting something to jump on top of them. Their hands quickly parted the tent and entered.

After a couple of minutes, and making sure no one else was coming her way, Maria came out from her hiding spot. Her curiosity had grown more than ever. What could the peculiar circus performers be hiding?

She walked to the big tent and with a smile on her face, the little brown-haired girl peeked through a small hole in the tent.

She froze.

This wasn't what she imagined; she had never seen something like this.

Maria slowly backed away, a fearful expression on her little face; only to bump into something. Her heart jumped on her chest, when she noticed a huge shadow over the circus tent.

Slowly, very slowly she lifted her head. Her eyes widened and she felt as if a bucket of freezing water had been shed over her. Shivers ran down her spine, when her brown eyes met a pair of big endless voids of whiteness.

A very tall and black figure was looming over her. It had no definite shape; she didn't know whether it was a man or a woman. It was huge, the shadow, around 10 meter tall, with no mouth and only a pair of round white eyes, with no pupil staring right at her. It had its head tilt to the side, as if trying to understand what it had in front of it.

A low whistle was heard and the figure moved. She didn't have time to scream, as the figure's gigantic hand took hold of her and disappeared inside the tent.

It took an hour for the people to get back to town and find out the little girl was missing. They reacted quickly and went on the search back to the forest, back to the circus.

But the circus was gone. And so was the little girl.


	3. Remembrance of a past life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many years had passed, and he never had the courage to look for them, but now he had the opportunity to fix it.

Silver-grey eyes stared in amusement as a bunch of people dressed in white lab coats, ran around the place like headless chickens. Some carried stacks of paper and folders on their hands, while others worked in teams to move heavy cardboard boxes over from place to place.

He winced when he heard a crash and a few curse words. Turning his head to the source of the noise, he saw a mass of white papers all over the floor, with a young man face first into the floor and another sitting disoriented while caressing the side of his head. Next to them was a box turned over and metal pieces lying out of it.

Things had been chaotic lately in the Black Order. Having their old Headquarters destroyed by a Level 4 Akuma, they had been forced to abandon the old castle on top of a hill, to one located by the sea. It had taken them a while to move around the ruins of the place they once called home, trying to find anything they could salvage and transporting it to the new place.

For not mentioning the new politics to follow, ones that were paranoid and completely different from the previous ones. Security was stronger, and new faces were constantly coming and going among the staff. A new guardian was set on the door, although nobody really knew who or what it was. There was also a new Exorcist in their ranks, a young boy of around nine years old, who loved to move around in roller skates and play pranks on everyone living in the castle.

Missions were getting a little harder around the world, with the appearance of stronger Akumas. The Earl and the Noah Clan hadn't been seen for a while, but that just meant that whatever they were planning was going to bring much more problems to them. Therefore, the higher ups were paranoid and wanted their Exorcists to train harder, with reports on their progress to be sent at the end of every day.

In summary, there was chaos everywhere in the Black Order's European Branch.

A sigh escaped his mouth as he bent down to help the fallen scientists.

"Are you okay, Johnny?" He asked the man lying with his face on the floor, as he helped him stand up.

It was a young man, with bushy brown hair combed backwards, and tied in pair of low ponytails. His eyes were hidden by a pair of large circular glasses, and his shirt and lab coat were in disarray.

"I'm okay, thank you Allen." He spoke with an American accent and gave the young boy in front of his a sheepish smile. Then panic took over his face, and turned to look at the man lying next to him. "I am so sorry! I need to take this to Chief Reever before lunch, and I wasn't paying attention. I am very, very…"

Allen turned his head from the conversation as Johnny continued apologizing to the other man, and started to gather the pieces and putting them back on the box.

"It's okay, nothing to worry about Johnny." The man said with a small smile on his face.

His eyes then turned to look back at the young boy kneeling on the floor. He was now gathering the fallen papers and piling them orderly in a small stack. The smile disappeared from the man's face. He recognize the boy, how could he not, it was the main topic coming out of everyone's mouths lately.

White hair nicely combed, falling down on his shoulders. His red and black uniform clean and neat, the black knee-high boots, shining, without a speck of dust and mud. White gloves covering his hands, hiding from view the red scaly-like skin of the left appendage. Perched on top of his head was a golden ball, with long feathery like wings, and a long tail, coiled around his master's neck.

"Here you go, Sir. Are you alright?" He asked with a small smile, British accent lacing his kind tone.

It was none other than Exorcist Allen Walker. Accommodator of the  _Crown-Clown_ and apprentice to the late General Cross Marian. And also, host of the 14th Noah's memories.

He gulped and nodded nervously. "T-thank you, Lord Walker."

Silver-grey eyes stared at him, figuring quickly the reason to man's nervousness. He gave the man another smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.

"No problem. See you later, Johnny." He stood up and promptly left, followed by his ever present watchman.

The watchman was a tall young man, dressed in black pants a red coat with golden bottoms. His long blond hair was tied in a braid, leaving some bangs to cover a set of two peculiar black dots on his forehead. His expression was neutral, as he walked after the young Exorcist, with his hands on each side of his body. He was Inspector Howard Link from Central, chosen specifically by Inspector Malcom C. Leverrier to watch over Allen Walker, and investigate the boy for any signs of treason or the 14th's return.

"Sure, bye Allen. Good luck on your next mission!" Johnny called after the white-haired Exorcist, and went on his way with the heavy box on his hands.

Allen turned and waved him goodbye, and then continued walking. He made his way through the several halls that made up the new Headquarters of the Black Order, until he finally arrived to a big set of oak doors. He knocked politely and waited until a voice answered from the other side.

"Come in."

The young Exorcist opened the door and found himself in a large, circular office with tall shelves filled with books. There were papers lying in the floor, and large stacks of documents neatly placed on top of a desk. A red coach was set in front of a dark colored desk, where one Supervisor Komui Lee was sitting behind revising some folders.

"Oh, Allen, good afternoon. Thank you for coming, please take a seat." The man said with a smile as he pointed at the red sofa.

Komui Lee was a Chinese man, with dark hair tied in a low ponytail, and a pair of square glasses over his bluish black eyes. He was wearing a set of white military-like clothes, with a white beret on his head.

Allen complied and sat in the red coach, with Link standing behind his young charge, with a small black notebook on his hands. He watched as the Supervisor scanned quickly over one of the documents on his desk, before signing it.

"Busy with paperwork, Komui?" Allen asked amused. The Chinese Supervisor chuckled.

"It's not like Ms. Fey, leaves me much of a choice." He closed the folder and put it on a small pile to his left. His eyes turned to look at Allen. "I have a new mission for you."

He stood from his chair, and walked to a grey cabinet at the back of the room. Opening one of the top drawers, he took out a yellow folder. He set his attention on the young British Exorcist, and passed him the folder.

"In the past year, there has been an increase of disappearances throughout the United Kingdom. According to the Finders, the victims are young, not over 23 years of age."

Allen opened the folder, and looked sadly at the pictures included.

"Anthony Hawthorne 12 years old from Manchester." A young boy with blond hair and green eyes.

"Jessica Monroe 21 years old, London." A girl with black hair tied in a bun and brown eyes wide as she smiled happily at the camera.

"Dean Rochester 6 years old from Dundee." It was a small kid with messy brown hair and large brown eyes.

"Many more. The most recent case is that of Maria Baines, 10 years old from Cardiff. She disappeared two weeks ago." There was small girl with short brown hair, and brown eyes. "Normally this wouldn't concern the Order; however it's been happening regularly and for a while now."

"You think that the Earl is doing this?"The teenager asked while shuffling through the pictures of each victim and their basic information.

"That is where the problem relies. There haven't been any signs of Akuma activity during these disappearances or Innocence for that matter, so we are not quite sure as to what we are dealing with. We analyzed each case, and we found that they all follow the same pattern."

"Pattern?" The boy turned to look at his Supervisor in confusion. The man nodded.

"All these kids, they lived in small towns in the outskirts, surrounded by the forest. They all go missing at night, right after going to a show from a traveling circus. Always the same circus."

Allen shifted the papers, and took out the paper flyer. He froze upon setting his eyes on the thing.

It was a simple design, white background with big letters at the top reading  _Welcome to Machigerita Circus_. There was also a drawing of a circus tent, with a yellow star at the top, and a strange looking towards the outside. The figure consisted of only a pair of eyes, and two large hands sticking out.

It's been a while since he last heard that name.

"So you fear that there is an Akuma infiltrated." The boy deduced, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Precisely."Komui nodded in agreement. "In every case, this circus arrives and they install their tent in the forest. They give one show at the end of the day, and by night when the people return to their homes, someone is missing. In the morning, the circus is gone."

"Was there any evidence left behind?"

"None that we could gather. We are trying to get in contact with the officers that carry out the investigations, in case they might have found something."

"Have the Finders found anything?"

"Unfortunately not. They haven't been able to speak with anyone from the circus. Every time they try, the circus is already gone. Lenalee and Miranda mentioned that you used to work in a circus, so you know more about them. The way they operate, their possible reactions. Therefore I'm sending you to carry out our own investigation; you have a higher chance of getting near them."

Allen nodded stiffly. "Alright."

Komui smiled lightly.

"In the folder I gave you, you'll find all the necessary information about the mission. You'll meet with Finder Thomas Dickens in London, where you'll move all the way to Bath, where the last sightings of the Machigerita Circus took place. Hopefully you'll find clues about their next stop. We believe it will be near Oxford or Reading, but we could be wrong."

Allen closed the file and turned his head to look at his Supervisor.

"What about… you know, Central?" He lowered his gaze, trying to ignore Link's stare.

Komui gave him a sympathetic smile. "There's nothing to be worried about, Allen. Inspector Leverrier and the Great Generals approved of this mission, and believe that with your ability to see Akuma, it won't take you long to finish it. Of course, Inspector Link will accompany you, as usual."

"Alright. When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow morning, there is a train that leaves at 8 A.M.; you'll meet Mr. Dickens at the station."

"Got it, anything else?"

"None, you are free to go and start preparing your things. Although, while you are on the mission, please make sure to contact us once you arrive to Bath, and send your report on your findings."

"No problem. I'll be going, now. Thank you, Komui." The teen smiled politely and stood up from the couch.

As he was opening the door of the Supervisor's office, he was stopped by the man addressing him one more time.

"Allen." Silver-grey eyes met a pair of worried bespectacled black ones. "There is a chance, that the thing causing the disappearances is not an Akuma. Please be careful, take good care of yourself. Make sure that you come back, safely."

"I will. Goodbye Komui, see you in a few days." Allen smiled at the man and left, with the blond Inspector behind him.

The man sighed and returned to his work. He trusted Link to keep Allen out of trouble, even if it was only because Central still wanted the young kid's Innocence, and the possibility of getting secrets that the 14th might know about the Earl and the Akuma.

He took a deep breath, trying to stay positive and calm, if everything went alright, Allen would be back in just a few days.

What he didn't know, was that he wouldn't see the white-haired teen in a long time.

**…o0o…**

_"Go now, we'll keep them occupied." whispered a voice from above. A girl with long white hair tied in a ponytail, looked down at him. She tall, very tall, around 5 meters above the ground._

_"What? No way, no one gets left behind." Spoke a young girl with teal-colored hair, panic lacing her voice._

_"Do not worry about us, Master won't harm us." Whispered harshly another voice. It was another 5 meter tall blonde girl._

_"You have a better chance of getting away, anyway. You and Luka take away the kids, run to the forest and hide there. We'll go and help Kaito, and then catch up with you. Run and don't let them catch you." Whispered the white-haired giant._

_The teal-haired looked at the girl standing next to her. Her head covered by a pink turban._

_"You know they are right, this is our only chance. They are too busy trying to put out the fire, they won't really notice some of us are missing. Neru and Haku will distract them, I'll stay here and hide. We'll let them think that we got away, they'll look for us and then when they are busy blaming each other, we'll free Kaito and then we'll look for you." The girl with the turban spoke hurriedly, looking behind her shoulder from time to time._

_The teal-haired girl sighed. "I don't like any of this, but alright. We'll meet you at the oak tree. Be safe."_

_She gave the three of them a hug, and urged three smaller children next to her to do the same._

_"Be careful." Whispered a small boy with blond hair. The giants smiled kindly at him and where about to tell him something, when they heard someone screaming._

_"It's a trap, they are running away!" A young man was pointing at them, calling the attention of the rest of the staff. They heard several sets of feet coming their way._

_"It's too late." Whispered the girl with the turban, her face paling in fear._

_"Go, now! You can still do it, don't look back. We'll be alright!" The blonde giant pushed them to the direction of the exit._

_They ran, leaving screams of surprise and sounds of people falling to the ground as the kind giants tried to prevent their friends from getting caught. They didn't dare to look back, and so they ran. As they were getting near the exit, a pair of giant hands took hold of the twins by the hair. They screamed in terror._

_"Oh, no, you don't!. You leave them alone, you hear me?!" Yelled the girl with the turban furiously and jumped back to attack the one holding the little kids. Jumping, she kicked the man directly in the face, but the kids had already been thrown on a cage._

_"Luka!" The girl screamed in terror as someone grabbed her friend from behind._

_"Take Red and run! We'll catch you later." She too was shoved on a cage._

_The girl shut her eyes as tears threatened to fall down, and taking the hand from the little boy next to her, she ran. The boy was small, with chestnut brown hair falling over his shoulder, and framing his face. His silver-grey eyes were widened in fear, and shivers were running down his spine. His short legs could barely keep up with the taller girl, but he couldn't stop. If he did, the monsters would catch them._

_They ran and found themselves in a dark forest, with tall trees surrounding them. The girl suddenly stopped, and hide behind some trees. She hugged the boy tightly as she heard hurried footsteps pass near them._

_"You'll be fine, you hear me. I won't let them get you." she whispered while caressing the kid's messy hairs. The boy sniffed._

Silver-grey eyes opened suddenly, staring directly to the dark ceiling above him. Many years had passed since he last saw them, those strange and kind children. He could remember that night all too well, almost as it had been just the day before.

The cold and tiredness. The fear and the footsteps following behind. The screams of his friends.

He remembers the enraged voice of their Master in the dark of the night.

_"Where is the Diva and the runt?! I don't care how long it takes you, or what you have to do. YOU LOOK FOR THEM AND YOU BRING THEM TO ME!"_

The sacrifice the girl called Diva made for him.

_"Red, look at me. Look at me. I'm going to distract them, okay? I'll distract them, while you run an-"_

_"N-no. Please don't leave me, please don't."_ He half whispered, half yelled.

The last words she uttered to him back then, before the monsters took her.

_"Listen to me, Red. They won't get you, I won't let them. So, you need to go, you need to leave this place. Leave this hell and live. Live for all of us. Find someone that loves a lot, and be happy, Red. Alright?"_

_"B-but I don't want to leave you."_ He sobbed and hugged her tightly. The last time he had.

 _"I know. I don't want you to go, and I am pretty sure the others doesn't as well. But this is the only way you can be free. The only way you can get to be truly happy. Go now Red, and don't look back. And always remember that I love you very much. Forever and always."_  She whispered, salty tears falling down her cheeks into the boy's hair.

And the promise he made.

_"I'll come back for you, for all of you Big Sis. I promise."_

He grits his teeth and closes in eyes, as his chest constricts with guilt and shame.

He ran that night, and never looked back. He remembered listening when their prosecutors found the Diva, and caught her. But he never turned around to help her, not once. He was scared, so very scared. And so he ran, and ran and ran, never stopping. Always moving forward.

Quite ironically, it would be something Mana would tell him to do a few years afterwards, something he wouldn't be able to do the night his foster father died and Earl visited him.

Allen Walker covered his face with both hands. His shoulders trembled, as fresh tears started to fall down his cheeks. Shame and guilt and self-hatred darkened his thoughts.

So many years had passed, and he never had the courage to look for them. When he got older and stronger, he got caught in a Holy War against a man and his family as old as time, and cruel to no extent. But things changed, and now he had the opportunity to fix it. To carry on with that old promise.

He had a chance to return to that place, to see his old family once more. He had the chance to return to that hellish place, deep down in the middle of the forest. Where the Ringmaster is ten meters, and the cast is jolly and their forms are rather strange.

He'll return to that blasted circus... and maybe this time, he might be able to save them.


	4. To understand the enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Walker, when you were still in the circus, did you ever heard about the Machigerita Circus?"  
> "No, never did."

"So you were part of a circus?"

Allen titled his head to look curiously at the blond man, sitting in front of him. Inspector Howard Link was looking at him, with the familiar black notebook and pen ready on his hands. It surprised the white-haired teen that his watchman didn't knew about it, he was pretty sure that Komui added it on his file after his mission on Germany, back when they met Miranda.

"Yes, but that was a long time ago."

"How long?" Allen rolled his eyes. Of course Link would ask for specific details.

"I don't know. I was nine years old, more or less, when I left. So… maybe six or seven years since I worked there."

"Why did you left?" The white-haired teen shrugged his shoulders.

"I met Mana, my father. He invited me to go with him, gave a chance to a better life. I had nothing to lose, so I went with him."

"Better life?" Link raised an eyebrow, so Allen explained.

"In the circus, I was like the errand boy. I did odd jobs around the place. I cleaned the cages, helped in the kitchens and to set up the stage. Sometimes I went to town to put up flyers or invite people to go and watch one of the shows."

"It doesn't sound so bad to me."

Allen ignored the comment and continued with his explanation.

"I didn't get much in return. Food, clothes and a place to sleep, but that was it. I didn't know how to read or write. Nothing about mathematics or that sort of stuff. I was stuck, until Mana gave me the choice to leave all of that behind. I went with him, and you know the rest of the story."

Link nodded while writing everything in his notebook.

"What is the plan when we arrive to Bath? Are we going to talk to the police?"

"Oh, we are not going to talk to a." The Exorcist said dismissively.

"What?" Link looked up in surprise.

"According to the file, no one disappeared while the circus was in Bath, so it's pointless to go there and talk with the town. Let's go directly to the clearing where the circus was set, and we'll start from there."

"Shouldn't we gather information about the performers?" Link asked, not convinced of the plan proposed by his charge.

"I think that it's better if we start tracking them now. Once we find them, then we can go to one of their shows and try to talk to the performers and the Ringmaster."

"You expect them to move fast, then." The blond man observed.

"Yes. Even if they are not the ones responsible for the disappearances, I wouldn't expect them to stay that long in some place."

"Why?"

"They need money for supplies, so they need a new public. One that haven't seen the show before. Once they have enough money, they will stop for a while somewhere to buy food and other necessities."

"So, you are hoping to catch them while they are restocking?"

"Not exactly." Allen shook his head. "We don't really have a pattern that could help us know where they could appear next. We only have their location for each disappearance, but it doesn't mean that they follow a certain route, and that those are the only appearances they made."

"I see, so you want to go to Bath with the hope that we'll find any indication of the direction they went." The Exorcist smiled at the man and nodded. "Very clever Walker."

The man was impressed with the white-haired teen. While he would had preferred to speak with the people first, and get an idea of what their enemy could be like, he had to admit the Exorcist's plan made a lot more sense. It wouldn't do their investigation any good if the circus was already moving around the country.

But there was still something that bothered him.

"Walker, how are you planning on getting in contact with the cast?"

"Like any other person, of course. I'll be someone else from the public."

"Is that the reason why you packed that old green coat?" The teen nodded. "Wouldn't they be more willing to answer your question if you show yourself as a representative from the Catholic Church?"

"On the contrary, they'll probably kick me out or run away before we can get close, if I do that."

"Run away?" Link asked, not quite understanding the teenager's logic.

"Circus people had never been friends with strangers, much less with the Church and the Police. They will either get angry or scared, and won't talk to us."

"I wasn't aware of this. I'll need to speak with Inspector Leverrier about this issue."

"I don't think speaking with that wanke- I-I mean Inspector Leverrier would solve anything. The rumors already spread through the whole country. It wouldn't surprise me if they had heard them all the way to Iceland."

"Rumors? What do you mean by rumors?" The blond Inspector asked with widened eyes in alarm.

"You don't know?" Allen asked in confusion. The man shook his head, so the teen elaborated. "When I was still with the circus, there was this rumor that circulated the streets, about a group of people that wore dark coats and a silver symbol embedded on them. They said that it was a special police force or something along those lines."

"You mean to tell me that the Exorcists are public knowledge?"

"Not exactly. They were just rumors, old lady gossip. When I met Master and saw the Rose Cross on his coat, I figured he was one of the people the rumors spoke about. But that aside, no one really believed them, and I only heard them when we were around London and Liverpool." Looking at the Inspector shocked expression, he couldn't help but ask. "You seriously didn't know about them?"

"I never imagined. I was under the impression that the Order was a secret to those that weren't involved on it."

"Well not really, some people know and even support the Order. But don't think too much about it, Link. They only speculated things, nothing from the HQ archives or so."

The blond man nodded once more to the teen's answer and then remembering something he asked once more. "You said that they wouldn't talk to you if you showed up in your uniform, why? Why would they be afraid?"

"Not afraid per say, more like… cautious. Some people show disdain for these places, because they believe that only the low-lives, like criminals, work there. And they fear that organizations and people from the Church or the Police would try to dismantle their circus, and would no longer have a home."

"So they are involved in illicit activities? Like trafficking?"

"It's a circus, not the black market. Circuses represent a shelter for people on the streets. They get offers for jobs, food and a place to stay, just like they did with me. While it is true that some people are ex-convicts, there are also good and honest people that want to share their artistic side with others. And some others… they are different. Some are even called freaks. Because they have something that others don't like, they are shunned by the upper class, and the circuses open their doors to anyone, so it becomes their home."

Howard Link stared in silence at the young man in front of him; there was a story behind those words. When he had been assigned to observe Allen Walker, he had been given the basic information about the young boy.

 

 **Name:**  Allen Walker

 **General description:**  Male, around 16 years old. 1.70 cm tall, 55 kg. White hair and grey eyes. Red scar over face's left side.

 **Birth date:**  Unknown, December 25th ( _date of adoption_ )

 **Birth place:**  Unknown, raised in Great Britain.

 **Birth parents:**  Unknown. Adopted by Mana Walker ( _deceased_ ), no other family members found.

 **Innocence:**  Parasitic ( _Left arm_ )

 **Innocence name:**  Crown Clown. ( _Synchronization rate_ _above the 100%_ )

- _Destroyed once by the Noah Tykki Mikk and then restored by the boy a couple of days later._

-Apprentice of General Cross Marian (under surveillance)

 **Notes:**   _Possible host of the 14_ _th_ _Memories. Dangerous, must be under constant surveillance. Permission granted to use force if suspicious of treason._

 

The white-haired Exorcist had been just another individual working in the Black Order back when Link first met the boy. Someone dangerous that must be treated with caution, and watched intently and constantly. Just some Accommodator taken in the by the organization to fight the Earl; just another weapon.

But as time went by, his perspective changed. He got to meet all the Exorcists directly, interact with them, and get to know them. To actually know them, like you would know someone who was your friend. The things they like and didn't like; their fears and pleasures, their stories.

He got to understand that the Exorcists weren't much different from him. People working on the same place, trying to stop a maniac from taking over the world. Humans of flesh and bones who cry and laugh; that could bleed and break. And Allen Walker wasn't different from them, 14th Noah and everything.

"The circus, it was your home wasn't it? Your shelter from the streets, from the people." Link spoke in a calm voice. He got no response from the young boy, but one look at the silver pools was enough for the blond Inspector.

Allen Walker was only a 16 year-old boy who had been given a cruel destiny as an Apostle of God. He was shunned as a child by the people because of his arm, he guessed, and so he joined the only place he wouldn't be stared down in disdain. However, there was something in the boy's body language that made him think that perhaps the circus wasn't entirely a happy place, just somewhere a small boy could sleep.

He wanted to ask more about the white-haired Exorcist's childhood. He wanted to be able to know more about what led to someone as nice as Allen Walker to be punished the way he was. He wanted to understand what God saw in the boy that made Him choose the boy as an Apostle and cursed him at the same time with the Noah memories.

But Link knew that Allen would't be so open about it, but even if the boy did, the blond German didn't had the guts to do it.

Because Link knew that it was much easier to carry on with his Crow duties that way.

Because the answer would make him want to help the boy with the hardened silver eyes, ones that had seen too much cruelty and sadness, ones that would continue to see even more as the Holy War progressed.

Because it would make him want to betray the man and the organization that had taken him and his friends out of the streets.

Because Howard Link was not a stupid person, and deep down knew Allen Walker was not an evil individual.

But Howard Link was also a coward, and so he asked something else entirely.

"Walker, when you were still in the circus, did you ever heard about the Machigerita Circus?"

"No, never did." Was the response of the teen after a moment of silence.

And Link didn't him believe one bit. The blond Inspector hadn't been with the white-haired teen for months and not learned to read the teenager's body language. The Exorcist knew something, and Link wasn't sure he wanted to find out what it was.

He had a bad feeling, and he hoped it was only his paranoia talking.

**…o0o…**

"I am not sure we'll be able to find anything around here, Lord Walker. We already searched for clues and we found nothing." A man dressed in beige coats spoke calmly to the teenager kneeling on the ground.

But Allen gave no indication of listening. The tall blond man next to the Finder sighed.

"Walker, let's go back to the village. It's pointless to stay here under the sun when there is nothing to see. It's almost noon now, let us go back to the inn and get some rest."

"Have some faith, Link. They might have missed something."

The man sighed and turned to look at the man dressed in beige."Go ahead and wait by the shade. I'll go with him."

The Finder nodded in gratefulness and left. The blond Inspector looked back at the teen, which was now moving around the edges of the clearing. With a sigh, he made his way to Allen.

"What exactly do you expect to find, Walker? The Finders already checked out this place, it's a waste of time."

"Well, the Finders were only looking for Akuma or Innocence signature, and I believe that they didn't paid particular attention to this." He said with a satisfied smile as he pointed at the ground.

"What is this you speak about? I only see grass."

Allen glared at the blond watchman.

"Look closer, Two-Spots." He said as he kneeled on the ground, signaling Link to do the same. "See? There are holes from the poles of the tent. It goes all the way to…"He moved to the other side of the clearing, the blond man following a few steps behind."Here. More holes. They set the tent and their things exactly on this side of the clearing. Now from this part you can see that there is a big space between the tent and the edge of the forest. My guess is that the people came from there, just from where we came from."

"Alright, you found the exact position of each thing. How is that relevant to the case?"

"Stop being so apathetic, Link. Think about it, if you had to leave quickly, which way, around this whole place, would you go?"

The man was about to answer, but kept his mouth shut at the look of concentration on the teen's face. With a sigh, his eyes scanned the forest around him, carefully assessing the trees and the path from where they arrived.

"There, away from the town. Back to the forest."He pointed to the forest at their back. Allen nodded and began moving to the pointed direction.

"Let's go."With a sigh, Link signaled the Finder to follow them and went after the young Exorcist.

"Walker, do you honestly believe that we can find anything out here?"

"Perhaps. When I was still with the circus, whenever we moved to another town, we packed things into boxes and bags. Before we started the move, the Ringmaster always made us double check that nothing was missing. Unfortunately for us, even if we checked trice, there were things that were left behind on a couple of occasions."He stopped moving.

"What is it?"Link asked, preparing himself for any sudden attack.

"Do you hear that? That sound, like rushing water."

The Exorcist moved his head around trying to locate the sound. The blond Inspector stayed in silence, instead listening to his surroundings. There was indeed the sound of water flowing rapidly.

"Mr. Dickens, is there a river nearby?" Walker asked the man dressed in beige.

"That would be the Avon River, Lord Exorcist. It flows through Wiltshire, and ends in the Severn Estuary at Avonmouth."

"Would you by any chance have a map that shows all of the towns where it passes through?"

"Yes, Lord Exorcist."The man took out a tube from his backpack and then proceeded to extract a large map from it. He extended it, and then pointing to a certain location, he explained."We are here, Bath. The river flows from here, all the way through here. But Lord Exorcist, I do not understand the relevance of the river."

"Think about it, Mr. Dickens. Their cast is at least of 20 or 25 people, they need fresh water to live. Food is easier to live without, but not water. Besides the river flows through the deep parts of the forest, few people travel through here."

"I thought that it was an Akuma the one responsible for the kidnappings."Said the man in confusion.

"It is one of the possibilities, but humans aren't exempted from guilt. And besides, Akuma can disguise as humans, so they can be simply be one hiding its true form, and the rest of the cast be humans."

The Finder nodded at the words of the Exorcist."That is very true, Lord Exorcist. So if I understood correctly, you believe that if they follow the river, then they could be hiding in one of the villages where the Avon flows through."

"Precisely."Allen answered with a smile.

"It's very extensive, and passes through many villages. We can't visit all of them at the same time, and they could be at any of them. I will call Supervisor Lee, and warn him; perhaps he can start dispatching Exorcists to some of these locations."Link said standing up to call for Timcanpy.

"No, don't call Komui, not yet anyway. I think I know where they are going."

"What?"

"Here, Chippenham. It's a small town, and has a market. They need to restock supplies and if they follow the river, it would take them there."

"Chippenham is not far from here, Walker. They must be somewhere farther."

"It is close if you go through the roads and by carriage." Allen retorted. "But if they are trying to hide from the eyes of the world, then they are not using them. They are most likely going through the forest, and with the amount of things a circus carries, it will take them longer to go there."

"He is correct, Inspector."The Finder spoke, studying the map."If you take the roads, it won't take you long to reach Chippenham. But if someone moves through the forest, the path is longer. It would take some at least a day and a half to arrive, but if more people are moving then the double of that time."

"Meaning that they are probably already there by now. Link come one, we need to move."Allen said in urgency, starting to go back to the clearing.

"Walker, you are only throwing suppositions around. You need proves, otherwise it's just a waste of time."Link said in exasperation.

"Well, what if I can show you some evidence that they indeed passed through here? Would you believe me then and go to Chippenham?"

Link scowled at the teenager's stubbornness. "Yes, Walker. But by the time you find something, they might be on Wales or Ireland even."

"Oh really, Two-Spots? And what is that behind you?" The boy said with mirth dancing on his eyes.

Turning around in frustration, the man looked up and his widened in surprised. Floating above his head, trapped between the branches and leaves of a majestic tree, was a single red balloon.

"A balloon." Link murmured.

"Yes, a red balloon. Just like the ones circus people like to hand out to the children at the shows. Which means that…?" Allen spoke in a singsong voice, and smiled mischievously at the German man.

"They passed through here." The blond man sighed. "I do not understand tough, why would they leave a balloon behind?"

"Who knows? Maybe they had more than they needed for the show, either this flew away from the rest… or someone left it on purpose."

"One of the children, most likely." Link asked, studying the balloon. "Do you believe any of them are still alive?"

"I hope so." The boy whispered sadly. "Come one, we need to keep moving. Hopefully we can catch them in Chippenham."

Allen turned around and went on the direction they came from, back to the clearing and to the town. The Finder bowed respectfully as the boy passed by, and went after him. Link, however, stayed longer on the spot, as something caught his attention on the base of the tree.

" _Dead roses… how strange, there are no bushes around here._ "


	5. The one left behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shiver went down his spine, and the only thing he remembered before everything went black was a pair of round white eyes staring directly at him.

Houses made of wood and bricks surrounded them, with stores established among them. A flower shop, the shoemaker and the bakery. A small bank and school. But there was no one walking around, just a few people here and there.

A young teenager wearing a green trench coat walked calmly down these same streets. His hair was hidden by an orange bandana, though some white strands could still be seen. His hands were covered by black gloves, and hidden inside the coat's pockets. His silver grey eyes observed everything intently.

Behind him walked a tall man with a serene expression on his young face. His blond hair was tied into a neat long braid, with a small fringe covering his forehead. He was wearing brown coat with a black and golden bow tie, and white gloves. Just like the teenager in front of him, his brown eyes observed his surroundings.

It was when they arrived at the town center that they knew they were on the right place. Chippenham's Town Plaza was decorated with colorful banners as balloons and colorful confetti litter over the paving stones.

Stopping suddenly, the blond man took a flyer from the ground.

"You were right, Walker." He murmured. "The circus in on this town."

He received no answer as the boy went to talk to an elderly couple sitting on one of the benches. The blond man turned to look at the man behind. It was a middle age man dressed in beige clothing, his face hidden by white bandages.

"Would you mind taking the luggage and get us a hotel room? Walker and I will go and get in contact with the circus."

"Right away, Inspector."The man answered, turning around to get back to the carriage.

"Mr. Dickens." Said man turned around to look back at the Inspector. "If we haven't contact you by midnight, call Headquarters and inform Supervisor Lee about the recent happenings. Tell him… tell him to send backup."

Thomas Dickens nodded in understanding, staring sadly at the retreating back of Howard Link and the figure of young Allen Walker turning around to speak with the blond man, He sent a prayer to the Lord in Heaven, imploring him to protect both of them.

"Where is Mr. Dickens going?" The teen in the green coat asked.

"He is going to look for an inn, while we speak with the circus."

The boy nodded. "I spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Williams, they said that the whole town already left for the show, about two hours ago. I think we still have an hour before it ends, but we must hurry. Who knows how deep they are into the forest, and it is already starting to get dark."

"Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, we must follow the signs. They'll guide us through the forest."The teen pointed to the drawing of red arrow pin to the wall of one of the buildings.

They walked through the deserted streets, all the way to the outskirts of the town, just at the edge of the forest, they found themselves with a small path. Wooden signs with red arrows guided them deeper in to the forest, and surrounded by tall trees and their shadows, the white-haired Exorcist and the blond Inspector moved cautiously.

"It's quiet." Link commented. The only sound he could hear, was their boots over the dried trees and sticks. No animal, squirrel or bird, could be heard, just silence.

"Too quiet." Allen mumbled,

The sun rays could barely filter through the leaves and branches of the trees as they quickened their steps. They didn't want to risk the darkness of the night enveloping them, they might not be able to find their way. They weren't even sure whether their enemy was watching them or not.

Link walked behind the white-haired Exorcist, observing as the boy's shoulders tensed as they went deeper into the forest. He would be lying if he said he wasn't expecting Allen's eye to activate at any moment and was disappointed as trees went by and nothing happened. In one way or another, Akuma were predictable creatures, they looked for Innocence and would attack them as soon as they saw them. However, if their enemy was actually human, then they were in deep trouble. You never know what to expect from people, it was difficult to know whether they would be willing to help you or just wait for you to turn around to stab you in the back.

People where dangerous that way.

The Order would no doubt back off if it was the case. Their interests weren't set on the daily mishaps of society, especially if no Akuma or Noah were involved.

But Allen Walker won't agree with them on that matter. He will want to continue this mission and finish it. He will go and try to find out what happen to the missing children and if possible, save them and return them to their families.

If Howard Link had been presented with this very same situation a few months back, he would have totally agreed with the Order. But Howard Link wasn't the same man he had been, he changed.

He would support Allen Walker the best he could, because Link knew deep down, that the white-haired Exorcist was right. They needed to stop this circus, it wasn't fair for the families to lose their kids, and it wouldn't be fair to endanger others.

And if Inspector Leverrier ever questioned his decision, he could always point out those desperate mothers, those who believed their children were dead, could fall on the hands of the Earl. Stopping the circus would have been the only way to prevent further Akuma creation.

A valid and objective argument worthy of Inspector Howard Link. One he truly hoped convinces the higher-ups.

Link was then brought out from his musings when the murmur of a crowd fell on his ears. He stopped walking, at the same time Allen turned around to look at him. They didn't say anything, both knew they were on the right place. Slowly they made their way through a set of bushes, and found an extent meadow.

And in the middle of said meadow, was a huge tent. It was a red and white stripped tent with a yellow star at the top. There was a large wooden sign reading  _Welcome to Machigerita Circus_  on top of the entrance, with balloons decorating the entrance. People were making their way out of the tent, following a single line, with a pair of colorful dressed people at the had guiding the town.

"It seems we arrived at the perfect moment, Walker." Link said, but when he turned to look at his young charge, he found him missing.

Link mentally cursed and felt the beginnings of panic began to settle on his gut. Quickly moving away from the edge of the forest, he made his way to the tent, searching frantically for the familiar white mop of hair, but Allen Walker was nowhere to be seen. It was when he met with the rest of the crowd, when he saw the white-haired moving around the edge of the clearing, staying away from the rest of the people.

The Inspector wasted no time and quickly moved in the same direction, avoiding colliding with excited little kids, and apologizing when bumping with someone, his eyes never leaving the back of Allen Walker's head. He watched as the young Exorcist move towards the back of the tent, instead of the front where they could easily find the Ringmaster. Confused by the boy's actions, the Inspector increased his pace and finally stepped away from the crowd. He went to the trees and used them for cover, as he too went to the back of the tent.

He arrived just in time to see Allen lift the curtain, and get inside.

 _"What are you doing, Walker?"_ Link couldn't help but wonder.

The blond didn't follow him tough, he stayed behind deep in thought about the boy's strange behavior.

It disturbed Link, because ever since they were given this mission, Allen Walker hadn't been himself. He was pale when Supervisor Lee showed them the circus flyer, and had twisted his hands nervously all the way from Bath to Chippenham. And just now, Allen kept looking around nervously, as if he was expecting something to jump and attack him, as his shaking hands moved the tent aside.

Now, Howard Link had no doubt the Exorcist knew something. The white-haired teen seemed almost scared to be there, and if something disturbed Allen Walker almost to the point of scaring him, then things weren't doing so good. And that scared him as well.

He slowly moved away from the bushes and walked to the curtain and stared at it. It was old, judging from the small ripples and some stains. It was covered in dust, unlike the front part, which had been obviously cleaned. Looking around him, Link noticed the silence, just like back at the forest. Way too quiet, he could barely hear the noise from the town's people.

And then he felt it.

It was as if a bucket of water was poured over his head, and his head felt light. His heart increased its paced, and his breathing became harder. He knew that feeling, he had felt it enough times on his life to know that something was staring at him. Slowly, and preparing himself for an imminent attack, he turned around. But there was nothing there, and the feeling wasn't stopping.

The day was starting to get dark, as the last sunrays of the sun illuminated the sky. He knew that whatever was staring at him was still there, and Link had no doubt it wouldn't go away. Now, Howard Link was no coward, he fought Akumas and had seen horrible things in his life, but right now had been one of the few occasions he had ever felt terror. He needed to get out of there as soon as possible, but he couldn't leave without Allen.

As the sun rays went down, they illuminated something hidden between the trees. Filled with curiosity, and pretty much ignoring his instincts and all logical sense, he made his way back to the forest and felt his eyes widened in surprise at what he found there.

It was a cage, a rather peculiar cage. It had the form of the typical cage you would use for a lion or a tiger, except that this one had red curtains. The wheels were black and worn out with usage and age, and there was a wooden board with eroded yellow letters. And around said cage,

 _"D…or…ed…Di..a."_ He tried reading, but it didn't make any sense to him.

He walked to the cage and slowly moved the red drapes aside. What he saw, made his eyes widened in surprise. It looked like a small room. There was a nicely folded and dirty futon, with a pillow, over a purple carpet covering the cage's floor. He saw a couple of books lying next to the futon, and a small wooden trunk on the other side. It looked like a small room.

His eyes went to the ground, and his eyes widened in surprise. Surrounding the cage, were dead roses, just like the ones he had seen back in Bath, below the red balloon.

A cold breeze flew through the forest, and the blond man shivered. He noticed a piece of paper flutter inside the cage, and he extended his arm to get it. It was an old worn flyer. His heart almost stopped.

_While it is true that some people are ex-convicts, there are also good and honest people that want to share their artistic side with others. And some others… they are different. Some are even called freaks. Because they have something that others don't like, and so they are shunned by the upper class._

He heard Allen Walker's words on his head, as his eyes wouldn't stop staring at the words at the top of the page.

 

_Dark Wood Circus_

_Drop by and see the world's greatest freak show of all time_

 

His eyes went down and looked at the drawings on the paper. There was a little stripped tent with a star at the top, and a pair of round eyes staring from the inside of said tent. Surrounding the tent, were seven black figures of different shapes and sizes, with only one color shading a part of them.

One had a couple of pink horns at the top of its head, while other had its leg shaded green. There tallest ones were shaded completely, one in yellow and the other in grey. Two of them had their bodies shaded in orange, while another the head and hands shaded blue. But there was one in particular that caught Link's attention.

_"So you were part of a circus?" He asked the young teen._

_"Yes, but that was long time ago."_

The smallest figure of the seven had a red left arm.

_"Walker, had you ever heard of the Machigerita C ircus?"_

_"No, never had."_

Now it all made sense. The nervousness, the vague responses, and even the assertive deductions made by the white-haired Exorcist.

Allen Walker had been part of this circus, the Machigerita Circus or Dark Wood Circus, whatever its name was. He had been part of this circus, and he was uncomfortable to be near it… no. Allen Walker was scared to be there.

They needed to get out of there quickly, before whoever or whatever directed the circus found them.

Unfortunately just as he turned around, his body collided with something and was sent to the ground. Disoriented, he laid on the ground trying to assess the situation, when he noticed a shadow had fallen upon him. He froze as he got the same feeling from earlier, and his heart jumped on his chest and beat soundly on his ears as he noticed a presence on front of him.

Slowly Link lifted his head, and his blood ran cold. A shiver went down his spine, and the only thing he remembered before everything went black was a pair of round white eyes staring directly at him.

**…o0o…**

It had been a long time since had been inside a circus tent. And even more since he had been inside this particular circus tent; he was willing to admit he hadn't missed it one bit. Allen walked carefully between the wooden boxes, trying not to make noise. His heart was pounding and he felt the dread building on his gut.

He knew he shouldn't had left Link by himself, but he dearly hoped the blond Inspector had lost track of him through the crowd and had been dragged away with it. While he knew it was something poorly possible, the man was in charge of stalking him and was pretty good at it after all, he needed to believe that the man was away and safe. That maybe the blond Inspector had decided to walk back to town to meet with Mr. Dickens and contact Komui.

Allen knew he hadn't been completely honest about his past as a circus boy. While it had been true he had been the errand boy for the circus where he met Mana, he hadn't admitted he had known the Machigerita Circus, much less that he had been part of it. It wasn't something he liked to think of, and while he made a promise a long time ago to return to this place and save his old family, he wasn't looking forward to come back.

He had never considered himself a coward, and he was pretty sure that his friends and the rest of the Order didn't consider him one, but he was scared. Scratch that, Allen Walker was terrified of this place. Not even Cosimo's punishments, or the Level 4 compared to being back in the Machigerita Circus. He hoped he could get everyone out before the Master and Ringmaster returned.

He felt Timcanpy shift inside his coat, aware of his Master's discomfort. Allen's lips form a small smile, it was reassuring knowing he wasn't entirely alone. He patted the place where the golden golem was hiding and spoke quietly to his longtime friend.

"Calm down, Tim. We are almost there, hopefully we'll be out of here as soon as possible."

Both of them knew the words were to calm him, instead of the golem.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself, he started moving. He had to hide a couple of times from the staff members, which he had no doubt were the missing kids; as they moved around packing props and moving things. The last thing he needed was to cause an uproar; then he would be in deep trouble.

He finally arrived to his final destination, the dressing rooms. He wasn't even sure they would be inside, and he deeply hoped there was no one from the staff putting away the masks and costumes in boxes.

Taking a deep breath he moved the curtain. Allen smiled and felt his lips tremble as unshed tears threatened to fell down. It has been ten years since he had seen her, and she looked just the same.

"Yes?" Asked the girl in a sweet voice as she turned around. She gasped when her eyes landed on him.

She had beautiful long teal hair, decorated with pink and black ribbons. She was using a long pale pink dress, similar to the ones aristocrats use, with black decorations on the corset and black gloves that reached her elbow.

"Who are you? What do you want?"She spoke with fear, and slowly took some steps back.

"Wait!" He said quickly raising his hands. "I swear to you I mean no harm, and I am deeply sorry for scaring you."

"You aren't supposed to be here."

"I know, again I am sorry for scaring you. I just wanted to talk to you."

"You can't be here. Please get out, the Ringmaster won't like this."Her eyes moved around the room, like a corner animal trying to find a way out.

"I know." Allen spoke calmly. "I am sorry for causing you trouble, but I am looking for someone."

The girl bit her lip nervously. "I don't think I can help you."

"Please, I am looking for my Big Sister and my other siblings. I haven't seen them in a while, and I need to find them."

She hesitated a little, and finally asked. "How long has it been since you last saw them?"

"Ten years."

"Ten years?!" She asked in shock, not quite believing the boy in front of her. "I don't mean to be rude, but ten years is a long time. And besides, how are you even sure I can help you find them? I am sorry, but I think you have are asking the wrong person. I can't help you. Please leave before anyone from the staff sees you."

She turned around ready to leave trough the same curtain he came through, but the words from the white-haired teen stopped her,

"I lost them on this place, to this very circus, actually." He said sadly. The girl froze and began to slowly turn around to face the teenager. She shivered in fear.

"You remind of her, you know? Of my big sister, she must be around your age." He spoke in a sad voice. "She was the nicest person in the world, and always looked after all of us. Making sure we had eaten, and were warm at night. Made sure we were safe. She used to tell us stories before we went to sleep, always a different one. I think my favorite was _The Wolf who fell in love with Little Red Riding Hood_. She said that even though someone looks scary, doesn't mean they don't have a heart."

The girl's eyes widened in shock as the boy continued speaking, tears were beginning to gather in the corner of her eyes.

"H-how do you…?"She began asking, but the boy cut her off.

"She liked to sing too. She had the most beautiful voice, and knew a lot of songs. There was one in particular that I liked the most, even though it was in Japanese. She called it The Gift from… _"_

"The Princess who brought Sleep." She whispered.

Teal eyes met a pair of silver-grey eyes.

Those beautiful eyes, which had once been filled with childish innocence, were now hardened and shed an air of tiredness, but were still the very same ones she remembered. His facial features were sharper and more mature, more like a young man rather than a little boy. His hair was hidden by an orange bandanna, but she could still see the white bangs that used to be the particular chestnut-brown. He was taller now, almost a head taller than her.

He was different, changed greatly in the ten years they were apart. And yet it was the same boy she had sacrificed herself in the dark woods, all those years ago.

She cried, her shaking hands caressing his pale face, delicate fingers brushing over the angry red scar over his eye.

"Oh, Red." she whispered.


	6. The disappearance of AW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It pains me to tell you that Exorcist Allen Walker and Inspector Howard Link had been declared M.I.A."

Tension and nervousness reigned over all members of one European Branch of the Black Order. Fifteen people in particular, were gathered in a circular office at the top of the main tower of their Headquarters.

There were a group of rather strange and different individuals.

On the wall to the left was a tall young man with long bluish black hair, tied in a high ponytail. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his handsome face didn't let any visible emotion.

Next to him was a pair of wooden chairs, where a man and woman sat in silence. The man was tall as well, with dark skin and a pair of black headphones covered his ears. His blind eyes were closed, as he held the hand of the woman sitting next to him. The woman, unlike the two males next to her, was twisting her brown skirt with her other hand. Her brown hair fell over her shoulder, and her eyes looked around the room in nervousness.

On the other side of the room, on another chair sat an old man sat waiting and observing. The man was rather short, and his single strand of white hair stood up in the shape of a question mark. Next to him, stood a red-haired young man with a black patch covering his right eye. His single emerald-green eye observed the room and its occupants. While he gave the appearance of calmness, his hands were clenched and his shoulders tense.

In the middle of the room, three people sat on a red couch. On the left side sat a stern woman with blond hair and a scar over her pretty face. On the middle of the couch, sat an older man with grey hair, tied in a ponytail, with square glasses over his eyes. Sitting on the right side, a tall bulky man with dark skin had his arms crossed over his chest. His mouth set on a grim expression.

On the floor, next to the woman on the couch, sat a young boy, the youngest in the whole room. He had bluish-teal hair, with a green bandanna over his forehead, and wore roller-skates, instead of shoes.

At the back of the couch stood a girl and two men. On the right side stood a tall lean man with black hair and a single white strand covering part of his face. He wore a black cloak, while his face showed nothing but nervousness. There was also a Chinese young man of mid stature with dark hair tied in a way that resembled a pineapple, who unlike the other man, displayed a grim expression on his face. On the middle of both men, stood the girl. She was of Chinese origin with short greenish hair, and a rather short skirt. She was playing nervously with her fingers, while her eyes stared in something akin to fear at the man sitting behind the desk.

Said man had a thick and ugly moustache with his hair combed to one side and completely flat. He had his elbows over the table with his fingers laced in front of his mouth. Behind him stood a Chinese man with white clothes and his purplish black hair tied in a low ponytail. His expression was far from serene as he clenched his hands into fists over his chest. Next to him, stood a blond man with a white lab coat, and moved his eyes nervously between the Chinese man and the man behind the desk.

"Now that finally all of you honor me with your presence, let us commence this meeting." Inspector Malcom C. Leverrier spoke with a cold voice that sent shivers to some of the occupants in the room.

He wasn't a nice man, hunger for power and cruel, and even though they wanted nothing more than rebel, they knew it wouldn't do any of them any good. He had already made sure their lives on the Order were far from calm, and without doubt he could make it worse.

"Supervisor Lee, would you please explain to everyone here the reason of this meeting?"

Said man cleared his throat and directed his attention to the Exorcists.

"In the last couple of months a series of disappearances has taken place throughout the United Kingdom, all victims are young, never past the 23 years of age. All cases share the same circumstances, small towns near the forest, and there is always the visit of a circus. We suspected that this was the work of an Akuma; however recent events made us conclude that it is not the case.

"Yesterday, Exorcist Allen Walker and Inspector Howard Link were sent to investigate this issue. They left in the morning for Bath, the last place where the circus had been seen. They investigated the place, and deduced that their next destination would be Chippenham. They were correct, and decided to get in contact with the cast."

Komui Lee stopped talking, letting the Exorcists assimilate the information. There was confusion written in all of their faces, and he dreaded what they will display when he told them the next piece of information. With a shaky breath he continued.

"It pains me to tell you that Exorcist Allen Walker and Inspector Howard Link had been declared M.I.A."

A gasp came from green-haired girl and the brunette woman, their hands covering their mouths in shock. The rest of the Exorcists had widened their eyes, and were now looking at their Supervisor in alert.

"Surely they must be caught up with something, Supervisor." General Tiedoll tried reasoning.

Komui pursued his lips and shook his head. "At 30 minutes past midnight, we received the call from their Finder, who told us that the circus was gone. And Allen Walker and Inspector Link were nowhere to be found. We haven't been able to reach Walker or Link's radios, as well as Timcanpy."

Dread and tension filled the atmosphere on the office. It wasn't something that happened regularly in the Order, they were always careful and their Finders usually helped the Science Division locate them. The last time something like this had taken place was after Suman Dark sold his comrades to Noah Tykki Mikk.

"What I would like to understand Supervisor Lee, is why was Allen Walker sent on this particular mission?" The cold voice of Leverrier cut through the silence.

"He was the best candidate. Allen Walker used to work on a circus, therefore had knowledge about their modus operandi." Komui answered in a calm voice.

"Perhaps he was the best candidate; however I must remind you that he was under surveillance for treason. May I inquire Supervisor Lee, under whose jurisdiction was this mission approved?" The man turned around to glare at the Chinese man.

"Why, yours and the Great Generals, of course Inspector." The Supervisor answered coolly, and the man's eyes widened in surprise. "Two days ago, I presented this issue with you and the Great Generals, as well as the other Branch Chiefs. All of them agreed, and you were the one who signed the order for Allen Walker to take on this mission."

Both man stared at each other, one trying to intimidate the other. But Komui Lee didn't back down and never move his stare away. It was the Inspector who broke the eye contact and stood up from his chair.

"I want them found by the end of this week. If they are not here, there'll be consequences to everyone in the European Branch. Do I make myself clear, Supervisor Lee?"

Everyone nodded stiffly, as Komui answered. "Perfectly clear, Inspector."

With one last glare directed to the European Branch Chief, the man turned away and left the office. Sighing, Komui went to his desk and began to take out some documents from the drawers.

"Is it true Komui? About the Allen and Two-Spots?" Asked the red-head.

"I'm afraid so, Lavi". Komui answered in a sad tone.

"Brother, are they alright?" Asked the green-haired girl.

"I don't know, Lenalee." His heart clenched at Lenalee's crestfallen face.

"There must be something left behind. A witness, tracks, maybe even signs of a fight. People just don't disappear without leaving evidence." The blonde woman spoke.

"There is nothing. Finder Thomas Dickens went back to the forest at morning, and they were gone. The circus was gone, and there was no clues left behind by either Allen or Link. It's as if they had never been there."

"Not even Akuma signature?" Marie asked.

"That is the problem; there was no Akuma or Innocence activity. We don't know what we are dealing with."

Everyone looked at each other in shock. None of them believed something like this was happening again. Their friend was missing, and they had no idea what happened to him or where he could be. And the worse of it all, they didn't know who was responsible for it.

"Then what are we going to do?" Asked the Japanese leaning on the wall.

"We are getting them back." The Supervisor spoke with authority, and everyone in the room straighten up.

Komui nodded to the blond man next to him, and he turned to look at the Exorcists. They looked like soldiers receiving the order from their Commander, ready to go into war once again.

"While we don't know much about our enemy, we do have some information that could help us know where they are going next."

Behind him, Reever brought out a giant map displaying the whole United Kingdom, along with Ireland and Iceland. There were some points circled, and several routes highlighted. The Generals leaned forward in interest, the same way Bookman and Lavi looked at the map in calculation.

"As I mentioned before, the last place the circus was seen, before Allen and Link left, was Bath. When they arrived to the town, Allen went to the forest to investigate the site. Turns out that the enemy travels through the forest, and this time they followed the path of the Avon River."

"Why would they follow a river?" Asked the Chinese man with the pineapple hair style.

"For gathering water, isn't it?" Lavi asked, his single eye following the highlighter piece of water.

"Precisely. Allen deduced that they followed the river for two reasons. The first one to get fresh water and the second one to have a path through the forest, where no one could see them reach Chippenham, where they gave one performance. Allen and Link arrived after they did, and followed the signs through the town and the forest, to get to the meadow where they performed."

"How did the kid know they were going to Chippenham?" General Sokalo asked.

"Allen believed that they would need more supplies, and Chippenham has a market. It was a good guess, way too good." Reever answered this time, and then continued with the information. "We believe that they followed the same pattern when they visited Scotland and Wales. We found that the Taff River flows near Cardiff, where Maria Baines disappeared. She was the last one before Allen." He gave Miranda the picture of a small brown-haired girl to pass around the room. "She was only ten years old."

There was a moment of silence, and it didn't escape everyone's eyes when General Klaud placed a hand on top of Timothy. The boy was her first student after the death of her previous team, and he was only nine years old.

Komui cleared his throat and everyone turned to look at him.

"Chief Reever and I came up with a plan. We will divide you into three teams, and send to different sites to investigate, and gather as much information as possible."

The exorcists nodded.

"Lenalee and Miranda, you'll go together to Chippenham. Ask the people about the show, and if anyone from the staff went and bought something. Try to get as much information as possible about what we are dealing with, and see if you can find anything about Allen and Inspector Link." Lenalee took a yellow folder from her brother's hands.

"Bookman, you are going to Cardiff, in Wales, along with Lavi and Timothy. I want you to get details on the disappearance of Maria Baines, everything that went on that day. We need to understand the way they lure the kids to them." Lavi took the folder offered by the Chinese man.

"You better take good care of my apprentice, Bookman. I can't guarantee the safety of yours if you don't." General Klaud fixed the old man with a hard stare. Lavi gulped in fear at the General's words, he had no doubt that she would unleash a hungry Lau-Jimin over him.

The man blinked at the woman's warning, and calmly answered. "Understood, Madam."

Komui coughed nervously, gathering the attention again.

"The third team, composed of Chaoji, Krory, Marie and Kanda will go to Malmesbury. Based on Allen's deductions, we believe that they are traveling north, therefore this is their next destination. You four, unlike the other teams, will engage the circus. You are to go to their show, and at the end, you will follow them, and stop anyone from being taken. We believe that it will be at least another day and a half for them to get there."

Chaoji accepted the folder from the man's hands. The Supervisor turned to look at the three people sitting on the couch.

"I would like to send you with them, but Central was adamant on the Generals staying back in Headquarters. I am sorry." He said and lowered his head, ashamed.

"It is alright, Komui. We trust their abilities to carry on with this mission." Tiedoll said with a small smile, but the Chinese man knew that he wasn't keen on the idea of sending his three students to fight their unknown enemy.

"Now, moving on, Chief Reever, please show them the new equipment."

Said man took several boxes from the shelf behind him and began distributing them. "We got all of you new radios, ones with greater range. We designed new golems, similar to Timcanpy, capable of recording audio and are able to work as a direct line to contact us."

"You will all leave tomorrow morning to London, where you'll meet your respective Finders. From there you'll use the Ark to get nearer your destinations. Bookman, you will get to Bristol and then take a ferry to get to Cardiff. Marie, you guys will get to Stroud and a carriage will get you to Malmesbury."

Everyone nodded at the indications given, and waited patiently as their Supervisor regarded every single one of them.

"This mission will not be easy. Many people have already been affected, and we have two missing comrades. We don't know what happened to them, and the only thing we can do is pray that they are doing fine. We don't know have details on whom our enemy is, how it looks, what it wants, or who they allies are, if they have any. They could be anywhere, they could be anyone."

He paused, and he was answered with silence. He had the complete attention of every Exorcist in the room.

"I don't want to lose any more of you, so please be extremely careful. Do not trust anyone. Do not call the attention; don't even wear your uniforms. Create new identities, a new story for why you are there. Work, vacations, whatever. Just don't let anyone know who you really are."

He stared at each of the Exorcists, everyone nodding in understanding at their Chief's words.

"I want a report by lunch time and dinner every day you are out. If we don't receive any of you by the end of the day, we'll assume the worst, and send backup." Everyone nodded. "You are all dismissed."

**…o0o…**

"You changed a lot, I can hardly recognize you."

Cold fingers caressed his cheek, he tried moving away from them, but they caught his face in a tight hold. He would never forget that voice, that smooth and cold voice. Its owner had been the object of many of his nightmares, and given him a lot of pain so many times ten years ago.

His head was forced in the direction of the voice, where his eyes could lay eyes on the monster hiding beneath the skin of the beautiful woman. Long black hair, with a pair of beautiful emerald eyes. She was dressed in black from head to toe, with her red painted lips set on a cruel smile.

She passed a hand through his hair. "Oh, but those beautiful eyes, how could I ever forget them."

He trembled with fear.

"Having you here again completes our little family. Ah, I'm so happy you decided to come back." She sighed in feigned happiness. "But I will have to punish you for leaving."

She snapped her fingers and two men dressed in dark circus clothing, with black joker masks covering their faces walked in. They took the boy by the arms and began dragging him away. His scream was muffled by the cloth on his mouth, and he twisted around desperately trying to break free from the men iron grip. The sounds of the chains around his body filling the dark room.

"Oh, wait." She said, and the men instantly stopped. "I heard that you brought a friend with you." His eyes widened in shock, and began to quickly shook his head."Don't' lie to me, boy. I know he came with you. Tall, blond hair, looks like he can work hard. I think he will be good addition to our gorgeous madness. We shall get started on his… initiation."

She cracked a smile that twisted her face into an horrendous expression. The lady in black walked to the boy and kneeled down, staring at him directly in the eyes. A chuckle escaped her mouth.

"I saw that golden thing you carried inside your coat. Who would have thought little Red would become an Exorcist? What a shame, you have always been my favorite." She moved her finger across the scar on his face. "Such a beautiful mark, it makes me jealous of whoever gave it to you, it must have hurt so much. Maybe we can fix that." She slapped him, and the boy's face was left with a red mark. "Take him and make sure I can hear him. Despair makes one fine melody afterall."

She snapped her fingers and the Jokers began dragging the boy away. He tried struggling once again, knowing what was waiting for him on the other side of the curtain. The woman's cold chuckle felt like a bucket of ice falling over him.

"It seems like disaster continues to follow you around, Red. How marvelous." She grinned and turned around. "Welcome back, my dear Demon Child."


	7. Funeral bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I saw s-something between the trees. It was big, and very scary. It was looking at all of us, when I tried to tell my mom, it disappeared."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for taking so long to update, I was busy with some other things in the last few months. I hope you enjoy both chapters.

It was a raining afternoon when they arrived.

"Parfait! Juste ce qu'il nous fallait."  _(Perfect! Just what we needed)_ shouted an annoyed young man. His red hair was soaked, just like the rest of his body.

"Stop complaining, you'll drive the attention to us." Muttered a short old man. He had a sole piece of his hair tied in a high ponytail giving it the curios shape of a question mark.

"You would if you were soaked too, but you are under the safety of your umbrella and not carrying any luggage. I think I have the right to complain,  _Old Panda_." The red-head muttered back angrily.

The old man slapped the red head on the back of the head.

"Montrer un peu respect, Gosse!"  _(Show some respect, Brat!)_  He reprimanded angrily, giving the young man another hit.

"Tu es un idiot, Dominique."  _(You are an idiot, Dominique)_ Muttered a kid with a black beanie over his peculiar bluish hair.

"Tais-toi, Hugo." _(Shut up, Hugo)_ He glared at the little kid with his only visible eye. The other one was covered by a black eye-patch.

"Assez! Nous devons arriver à l'auberge." _(Enough! We need to get to the inn.)_  The man glared at both boys.

"Oui Grand-Papa." _(Yes, Grandpa.)_  Both answered in unison.

"Dominique, apporte les valises. Hugo, ne t'éloigne pas de moi, et souviens-toi de ne pas te retirer le bonnet." _(Dominique, bring the luggage. Hugo, stay close to me, and remember to keep that hat on your head.)_

"Pourquoi ai-j' à l'utiliser? Mon Innocence est couverte par le fichu." _(Why do I have to wear that thing? My Innocence is covered by the bandanna.)_ The boy made a pout, scratching under the beanie.

"Tes cheveux sont bleus. Rapelle-toi que nous ne voulons pas nous faire remarquer." _(Your hair is blue. Remember that we don't want to stand out.)_ The old man sighed in exasperation. The boy looked at him blankly and said:

"Nous sommes français dans un lieu où personne ne parle français." _(We are French people in a place where no one speaks French.)_ He said with a blank look at the old man, and promtly received a slap at the back of the head. "Ouch! Pourquoi cela,  _Vieux Panda_?!" _(What was that for, Old Panda?!)_

"Morveux irrespectueux. Tu es égal à Dominique." _(Disrespectful brat. You are just like Dominique.)_

"Je ne suis pas comme le  _Lapin Stupide_." _(I am not like the Stupid Rabbit.)_ Timothy said outraged.

"Je trouve ça insultant, Petit bébé." _(I resent that, Pipsqueak.)_ Lavi answered outraged as the boy.

"Pirate." The boy retorted.

"Minuscule." _(Midget.)_

They kept sending insults at each other all the way to the inn, not noticing as some people walking by stared at them. They also didn't notice that certain old man walking in front of them was getting angrier as the seconds tick by.

"Tête de cerise." _(Cherry-head.)_ The boy stuck out his tongue.

"Petite –" _(You little-)_

But before he could begin, Bookman had taken both boys by the ears, and their complaints of pain felt deaf to his ears.

"ASSEZ! Je ne veux plus les écouter déjà, ne m'importe pas celui qui a commencé. Vous cessez de vous battre comme petits enfants, les autres personnes n'ont pas à tolérer ce comportement." _(ENOUGH! I don't want to listen to you, I don't care who started. Stop fighting like little kids, other people doesn't have to tolerate this behavior.)_

He let go both boys, and then took Lavi by the shirt. "Toi! Voit à nous inscrire dans l'auberge, et je ne veux pas que tu flirtes avec quelqu'un." ( _You! Go and check us in, and I don't want you flirting with anyone.)_

Letting go the red-head, he took the blue-haired by the coat and pushed him in a bench. "Et toi! Tu assois-toi là, soigne les valises et ne te meus pas. Si je t'attrape un seul centimètre de ton lieu, je dirai à Klaud." _(And you! Go sit there, take care of the luggage and don't move. If I catch a single centimeter away from it, I will tell Klaud.)_

Both boys gulped and looked at old man in fear. "C'est compris?!" _(UNDERSTOOD?!)_

"Oui, Grand-père, Monsieur." _(Yes, Grandfather, Sir.)_ They answered quickly.

"Bon, je vais aller par une tasse de thé. Je ne veux pas de problèmes." _(Good, I will go for a cup a tea. I don't want any trouble.)_  Both boys nodded furiously and went quickly to do as the old man told them.

The older man left the scene and entered the warm canteen connected to the hotel's lobby. It was deserted, with only a man behind the bar cleaning a couple of glasses.

"A cup of green tea,  _s'il vous plait._ " The short man said with a tired expression as he took a seat in one of the high chairs of the little canteen.

"Long day, Sir?"

"You tell me about it." He answered with a sigh. "Grandchildren. They are supposed to be the parents' responsibility and here I am, with both of them acting like unmannered fools."

"So that was the racket I heard back at the Lobby?" The man chuckled. "They are children, let them be."

"The eldest is 19, the other is nine. You would think that Dominique would behave, and yet he keeps picking up fights with Hugo and chasing around girls."

"Oh boy, they are a handful then."

"You have no idea." Bookman murmured, taking out a small notebook and a fountain pen.

"So what brings you around here, Sir? Family vacations?" The man asked as he placed a cup of tea in front of the elderly man.

" _Merci._ " He took a sip from the hot drink. "Not exactly. We are going to Ireland to see the old castles."

"Ireland, really?" the man said surprise.

"I am a historian. I study the history from everywhere. We've been traveling for some time, and I thought that the kids could have a little break. Cardiff is a nice place this time of the year; I figured they could play by the sea and rest for a few days."

"Oh, you came at a bad time, Sir." The man said mournfully.

"How so?" the short man raised an eyebrow, and took another sip from his tea.

"This place hasn't been the same lately. Someone recently died, a little girl. Only 10 years old. A shame if you ask me. They are burying her today."

"A shame indeed. What happened to her? If you don't mind me asking."

"She got lost on the forest, they never found her. It's been only two weeks and a half, but her parents lost all hope. They are burying an empty coffin."

"How sad." Bookman closed his eyes in sadness.

"I can't say I blame them, though. If my only child went missing on the woods, I wouldn't have that much of hope that she would be unharmed at the end. I guess the only thing they can do now is move on. "

"Indeed. What was her name?"

"Maria, Maria Baines."

"A lovely name. I will pray for her and her family."

"Grand-Papa, j'ai les clefs de notre chambre."  _(Grandpa, I have the keys for our room.)_

"Bien, obtenez votre frère et les bagages. Je serai là dans une minute."  _(Alright, get your brother and the luggage. I'll be there in a minute.)_  Turning around to the bartender, he said with a small smile. "I apologize for leaving so abruptly, but I need to lay down to rest."

"It is okay, Sir. I understand. And do not worry, the tea runs on my tab. Have a nice day."

"Thank you,  _Monsieur_ …?"

"Prichard. Ronet Prichard."

" _Monsieur_  Prichard. Have a good day." He said with a calm smile and a small bow.

"You too, Sir." The man answered with a smile as well, and took the glass to clean it.

Leaving the canteen he walked to where his student and young Timothy Hearst were waiting for him, both of them carrying the luggage.

"What did you find?" asked the red-head once they were inside their room.

"Maria Baines funeral is today at noon, we must keep an eye on it. Let's hope the Earl won't show up."

**…o0o…**

Funeral were events Timothy Hearst had never felt comfortable going. Not that he had gone to that many in his short life to begin with, but still. People dressed in black formal clothes, and always cried. He didn't liked crying people, he never knew what to say to make them feel better.

He tried making a joke once, when Sister Hilda died two years ago. That had ended in a scolding, a hit at the back of his head, and no dinner that night. It wasn't his fault he didn't knew making jokes at a funeral was bad.

The only other funeral he had attended, had been when he was 4 years old and his Momma had just passed away. He doesn't remember much about it. Just that his Papa hugged him while he asked why wasn't his Momma waking up to play the piano for them. Perhaps he had been too young to understand his Momma was in Heaven, and he wouldn't see her again in a long time.

And now here he was witnessing his third funeral. The funeral of a little girl, not much older than him. He saw a man and a woman at the front, holding each other and tears running down their cheeks. Those were Maria Baines's parents. Next to them sat an elder couple, her grandparents.

He saw a group of kids holding white roses, Maria's friends. They were crying too, watching intently the little white coffin, not paying attention to whatever words the priest in black was speaking.

Behind them, dressed in black as well, was the whole town of Cardiff. Sad eyes staring at the picture of a smiling girl with short hair. They too held roses on their hands, and bowed their heads in respect for the little girl that wasn't among them anymore.

"In the name of the Lord and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Amen." Chorused everyone present.

A small nod from Maria's father was the signal for a group of four men to move the coffin of the little girl and placed it over the hole in the ground. With care and kindness, they lowered the black coffin and started to cover it with soil.

Timothy heard a muffled cry from the mother, as she buried her face in her husband's shoulder and let the sorrow consume her. The grandmother took out a tissue and she too started to cry, her husband taking a hold of her hand with s sorrowful expression.

No one from the town spoke a word, no one made a move.

When the men finished, they took their hats in honor of the little girl whose life had just ended. Slowly they retreated, as the children moved forward and one by one placed the rose on top on their friend's grave. Crying and saying goodbye.

He doesn't remember how long they stood behind the trees, his eyes never left Maria Baines's family. He wondered if his Papa was missing him, like he missed him sometimes. He should probably write Mother Superior and everyone else from the orphanage as well, it has been a long time since he had done that.

"I'll stand guard tonight and look after the family. Tomorrow both of you will go to the town and talk with the people about what they remember the night she disappeared." He heard Bookman telling the  _Stupid Rabbit._

"Are you sure,  _Old Panda_? I can switch with you at midnight."

"Don't be disrespectful, Brat. Go to the inn and get some sleep. You'll look after them tomorrow, the Earl only comes at night after all."

"If you insist. Come on, Timothy. It's time to go." Lavi whispered in his ear, and he nodded.

Funerals were something Timothy Hearst wasn't comfortable watching or going. And he dearly hoped he wouldn't have to attend another one in a very long time.

**…o0o…**

The next day Timothy found himself walking in the streets of Cardiff, looking at the other people. They didn't look as sad as he had seen them the day before, he supposed that funerals had that effect on people. Everyone was always sad, he remember.

"Hey you! Wanna join us?" he heard a voice calling behind him. Turning around he found the group of children from Maria Baines's funeral.

" _Pardon?_ " he asked, not quite understanding what the boy was talking about.

"Eh, if you want to play with us."

"Alright." He shrugged his shoulders and made his way to the children.

"I'm Deian." It was the boy that had called him. Brown curly hair, red scarf around his neck.

"Hi, I am Sian." It was small girl, blonde hair tied in two ponytails. She was holding little doll with a pink dress.

"My name is Elin." It was a girl with long brown hair and freckles over her cheeks and nose.

"I-I am Cadin." It was shy boy with round glasses.

"And that is Seith." Deian pointed to a boy at the back with a scowl on his face and black spiky hair. "Don't worry he looks bad, but he is okay. So what is your name?"

" _Je m'app_ … eh sorry, my name is Hugo."

"You speak funny, where are you from?" Sian asked in curiosity.

"Eh,  _Paris._ "

"Paris? Oh, that's in France right? That is so cool, I want to go there someday."

"So, what are you doing here? Are you going to live here?" asked Elin.

"I came with my  _Grand-Papa_ and my brother. We are going to Ireland to see the castles.  _Grand-Papa_ likes history."

"Wow, that is so cool."

"But what about school? Do your parents let you skip school?" Deian asked in curiosity. Timothy looked at him in confusion.

"School?  _Oh, l'école!_  I don't go. I study at my house."

"You don't go to school? How awesome! I wish I didn't have to go to school." The boy with curly hair said with a smile, and the two girls nodded in agreement.

"Ehm… Wh-why do you wear a hat?" asked the boy with glasses.

"My  _stupide_  brother made my hair  _bleu_." He answered in irritation. Timothy was still angry about wearing the stupid beanie, he didn't care that people saw his blue hair.

"No way, that's sad." Elin said, and then with a full-blown smile she added. "Take it off, let's see it."

She tried to take the hat from the boy's head, but Timothy quickly took a step backwards and placed both hats on the blasted beanie.

"Ah,  _Grand-Papa_  said I shouldn't take it off. If he finds out he will tell  _Maît_  - eh,  _Maman_ , and she won't let me play."

"Oh, it's alright." Elin said. "I also don't like when Mama doesn't let me play with my friends."

"And talking about playing." Deian spoke again. "We were going to play  _Hopscotch_ … do you want to play with us?"

Before he could answer, another voice spoke first. "He can't." It was the boy from the back, Seith. Timothy looked at him in confusion.

" _Pardon?_ "

"You heard me,  _Frenchie_. You can't play, so leave." The boy answered with a scowl, and Timothy glared at him. He was so going to hit that  _con (asshole)_  on the face.

"Hey, Seith, what is your problem? Hugo didn't do anything wrong." Sian asked, glaring at the boy with both hands on her hips. She reminded Timothy of an angry Lenalee scolding the  _Girly-Samurai_.

"It was Maria's game. So no one can play  _Hopscotch_ with us, except her. Have you already forgotten about her, you stupid traitors?" He crossed his arms over his chest, and continued to glare at his friends.

"Of course we haven't. But, Seith, I don't think she would get mad if we play wi-" Sian stared to answer, but that only made the boy angrier.

"And what do you know about what she wants?!" he screamed, and the girl jumped in fright. "You can't know what she thinks, no one can! You know why?! Because she is dead! You hear me?! Dead!" with one last glare, he turned around and started to walk away.

"Seith, wai-"

"Leave me alone, Elin! I don't want to talk to any of you, you damned traitors! Go and play with your new best friend!"

He left the group of kids alone, and they were all looking sadly at the floor. Timothy stared at the retreating kid, and frowned in confusion at the boy's outburst. Sure the boy missed Maria, but he didn't have to act as if the other kids didn't.

 _People miss people in different ways_ , Emilia told him one day. She was very smart, so it must be true.

" _Désolé_ … eh Sorry, if I did a thing wrong." He told the kids, and Deian turned to look at him sadly.

"It's okay, Hugo, it's not your fault. Seith is just… angry."

" _Pour quoi_? Who is Maria?" he asked, and it just made the kids sadder.

"She was our friend, but she is gone now."

"What happened?"

"She got lost on the forest and they couldn't find her."

"They made her a grave, and we said goodbye yesterday. It was really sad." Sian said, her voice trembling.

"Is that why everyone was wearing black yesterday?" he asked and the kids nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Elin asked in confusion.

"Because you lost your friend.  _Mère Sup_ … eh  _Grand-Mama_  always said that it was sad when we lose someone we love. So she said, that we should say sorry to a person that doesn't have someone they love with them anymore. So, I'm sorry that you lost your friend." He said and the kids gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, Hugo." Elin said, and gave a small peck on the cheek. Timothy blushed, and lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Well, I think we need to go. I am sorry Hugo, maybe if you are still around tomorrow we can play something else." Deian said.

"Okay." Timothy nodded.

"Bye, Hugo." The girls told him, and started to walk away.

"Oh, and don't listen to Seith. He really cared for Maria, and he is sad that she is gone. He wanted to go to the forest and look for her, but the adults didn't let him. He gets angry, but he is not a bad guy."

"Okay, it's no  _problème."_

"Well, goodbye, Hugo."

" _Au revoir._ "

He looked as the kids walked to their houses; he saw how a woman opened the door and smiled at Deian, huggin him. The image of his no-good father appeared on his mind, and he gritted his teeth. Sometimes he wished his father hadn't been caught, maybe then he would have a home like Deian and the rest of the kids, and when he got back, his father would be waiting for him to give a hug. That they would eat together at a dinner table and his dad would read him a story before going to sleep.

Sometimes he wished he had never become an Exorcist. That way he wouldn't have to fight Akuma and could go around his roller-skates all he wanted. That way he wouldn't have to train with Master Klaud or do his homework with Emilia. Maybe he could still be with Mother Superior and hear her stories before bedtime, he missed her voice singing lullabies.

His heart clenched as he thought about Mother Superior, Emilia and Master Klaud, about everything they taught him and the way they would smile at him. He thought about the kids at the orphanage, and the people at the Order.

Jerry's delicious food and  _Fangs's_  stories. Lenalee and Miranda's smiles. Marie's lullabies and Grandpa Tiedoll's drawings.  _Pinapple-Head_  training at the gym with the  _Scary-Man_  that likes to wear the wicked helmet.  _Sister-Complex_ , Reever and  _Four-Eyes_  showing him the new toys from the Science Division. The Samurai guy chasing the  _Stupid Rabbit_  around with that sword of his. Allen teaching him how to juggle while balancing over a circus ball, with the boring  _Two-Spots_  sitting on a chair reading a book and Timcanpy somewhere on the room.

He supposes that if his dad had never been caught, he would just be another kid in a big city, living a normal life. He wouldn't have  _Divine Possession_  to kick the Akuma's butt. He would have never met anyone from his weird family.

Looking at it that way, maybe being an Exorcist wasn't so bad.

"She didn't got lost you know." He heard a shy voice speak behind him and he jumped in fright.

" _Merde!_ " turning around, he found himself looking at the boy with glasses. "You scared me, Cadin!"

"I'm sorry." He answered scared at the boy's angry scowl. Timothy sighed and calmed himself.

" _C'est bien_. Don't worry. What were you saying?"

"N-nothing. I need to go, or my mom would get worried." The boy stared to walk away, but Timothy caught him gently by the arm.

"Hey,  _c'est bien_. You can tell me."

"You won't believe me." The boy lowered his eyes to the floor.

"Try me." He said and the boy hesitated. "Come on, Cadin, I won't tell anyone."

"You promise?" the boy looked hopefully.

"Yes, I promise." Timothy said with a small smile, mentally sighing in frustration.

"O-okay. You remember what Seith said about Maria getting lost in the forest. I… I don't think she got lost, I think something took her."

The blue-haired boy widened his eyes in shock. " _Pardon, quoi?_  ( _Sorry, what?_ ) Took her?"

"The day she disappeared, the whole town was in the woods. We went to see the show of a circus that came here, and when we were going b-back…" the boy looked nervously around them, his eyes staring at the forest.

"What happened?"

"I saw s-something between the trees. It was big, and very scary. It was looking at all of us, when I tried to tell my mom, it disappeared."

Timothy's mind jumped to the image of the Giant Akuma, Master Klaud had showed him when he had joined the order. "What was it?"

"I don't know, it looked like a shadow." The boy's eyes started to fill with tears. "I think it has Maria."

"Have you told someone about it?"

"I told my mom, but she didn't believe me. She told me not to tell or else everybody wouldn't like me anymore. B-but... She was my friend, Hugo. I should have told someone, maybe then they could have helped her."

The boy started to cry and Timothy looked around in panic. He didn't want anyone to think he had made the  _Four-Eyes_  cry, Bookman would get mad if he called the attention. Gulping, he slowly hugged Cadin.

"I know,  _c'est bien_.  _C'est bien_ , Cadin." He murmured and slowly the boy calmed down.

"You believe me?" the boy whispered in hope.

" _Oui_ , I do." He needed to get to Bookman and the  _Stupid Rabbit_  fast.

**…o0o…**

He felt the stares of the people as he walked by carrying the heavy bags filled with fresh vegetables. Lavi Bookman Jr. had just attracted a big deal of attention – the first thing Komui had told them not do during this mission – after helping an old woman in the market.

"Just ignore them, young man. The people on this town don't know the meaning of discretion; they believe that only because I am old, I can't hear them." She told him with a hoarse voice.

"That is not very nice." He answered, and the woman chuckled.

She was short, not as much as Bookman but short, with gray hair tied in a braid that went all the way down to her mid-back. She was wearing a gray dress covered with a burgundy shawl and a straw hat over her head.

"Indeed, but there is nothing I can do. Every town needs an insane old hag, and turns out that I was the chosen one to be her." She gave him a small smirk, and Lavi felt himself smile at the woman. It was hard not to like her. "Now come on, we must go before this rain becomes worse."

She quickened her steps, and the red-headed Exorcist followed her.

They walked around the town for a while, drops of rain falling over them, getting heavier by the minute. Finally they reached a small house in the outskirts. Red-bricked walls, wooden door and a little chimney, it reminded Lavi of  _Red Riding Hood's_  grandma's house.

"You can put your coat here." She said when they entered the warm and cozy house. She walked to the chimney in the little living room and started to get throw some logs. "The kitchen is over there; please leave the things on the counter. I'll put them in their place later."

Following the woman's instructions, he went to the kitchen and carefully set the things on the table.

"So what is your name, young man?" the woman called from the living room.

"Dominique Moulian."

"Dominique, huh? French?"

"Born and raised, Madame… eh?"

"Sayer. Brynna Sayer." Ms. Sayer said with a smile entering the kitchen. "Take a sit, Dominique, I'll prepare some tea."

"Oh, you don't have to bother  _Madame_ Sayer."

"It is no bother. You helped me carry these bags, the least I can do is give you a nice cup of tea and some biscuits."

"I insist.  _Grand-Papa_  likes tea, and he showed me how to prepare it."

"Very well." She agreed and let Lavi take the teapot and the leaves from her hands. Remembering Bookman's teachings, the young Exorcist began to work.

"So, what brings you here, Dominique?" the woman asked. Lavi answered, his eyes not moving from the task at hand.

"I came with  _Grand-Papa_  and my brother. We are taking a ferry to Ireland to visit the castles."

"Ireland, that far?"

"Yes, Madame.  _Grand-Papa_  is a historian; he is always traveling around the world learning about cultures and past events. This time he decided to take us with him."

"That is nice. Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's great to travel around and meet all types of people. To see so many beautiful places. It used to be  _Grand-Papa_  and me only, but  _Maman_  thought Hugo would like to come as well."

"Your brother." she said, and Lavi nodded. "Does he like it?"

"I don't know, all he does is complain about how tired he is. To go around on his skates and not do his homework.  _Petit morveux_   _(Little brat)._ " He muttered.

Brynna chuckled. "Sounds a little handful. How old is he?"

"Nine, he will be ten in May."

"So young." She said with a sad smile. "Reminds me of my little Maria."

"Your granddaughter,  _Madame_  Sayer?" he asked, setting the teacups on the table.

"Yes, she was one of the sweetest girls on this town." She spoke with a faraway look on her eyes. "She used to come every afternoon to have some tea before going out to play with her friends… but she is not here anymore."

"She left town?" Lavi took a seat on one of the chairs.

"In a way." Brown eyes stared right at him. "She is dead now."

"I'm sorry,  _Madame_."

"I'm sure you heard about it from Mr. Prichard back at the inn. So what are you doing here?"

His single visible eye widened in shock, the woman had caught him off guard completely. From behind him, the teapot started to whistle from the boiling water and Mrs. Brynna Sayer stood up to attend it.

Clearing his throat, he started apologizing.

"I am so sorry  _Madame_.  _Grand-Papa_  did say something about that, but I didn't paid attention. I was simply walking around the town and I met you, it wasn't intentional. I wasn't trying to find your family or anything, I swear."

The woman sighed.

"I know you didn't, young man, you seem like a nice chap. That man just doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut, no one on this town does. They love a good gossip, what better than the little girl who never came out of the forest and her parents gave up all hope and decided to bury an empty coffin." She placed the steaming teapot on the table and took a seat.

Her wrinkled hands covered her eyes, and Lavi could see her trying to calm herself down.

"I told my daughter and her husband not to give up. That maybe we would be able to find her, hiding in some cave or by the river, but they didn't listen. Sometimes you can't win against a broken heart."

They stayed in silence for a while, until slowly he took the pot and started to pour the tea.

"I… I don't know what to say." He said, and it sounded lame. The woman sighed in sadness.

"There is nothing to say. It's just something that happens sometimes in life, young man. One would think that we old folks would go first, but there are times when it's the little ones that do."

"I am really sorry." He meant it, and handed the old woman a cup.

She smiled kindly at him and accepted the hot drink. She placed her wrinkled hands over Lavi's right hand and stared at him.

"Do me a favor, Dominique. Take good care of your brother; don't let anything happen to him."

"I won't  _Madame_."

"And never let him go inside the forest, nothing good happens for those that wander in that dratted place."

"Believe me, I won't let him go in there, neither will  _Gran-Papa. Maman_  would kill us if Hugo gets lost in there."

"Getting lost in the forest it's not the worst thing that could happen." She said in monotone and Lavi looked at her curiously. "It's the things that wander in there that you should be worried about."

"You mean the animals? Like bears and wolves?"

"Animals are not the only things that live in there. And they are not the most dangerous ones."

" _Madame_ , what are you talking about?"

She blinked and looked at him, "You won't believe me, Dominique. I think it's best that you leave."

"It's alright, you can tell me." He said and the woman shook her head. "I'm serious,  _Madame_  Sayer. One thing that I learned from all the legends and myths I've read, it's that there are things we can't explain, but they do exist. So, go ahead, I won't laugh."

Brynna stayed in silence staring at the young Exorcist, looking for signs of lies on his face. Finally she gave a nod of compliance.

"Have you ever read… the story of  _Red Riding Hood_?"

He nodded. "Yes, the little girl with the red cape that goes into the forest and the wolf tricks her. Then he eats her and her grandmother, and at the end they got saved by the man with the ax."

"Yes, that pretty much summarizes it."

"It does, but what does it have to do with what happen to your granddaughter?"

"She did not get lost, she was taken."

"So, you are saying that… your granddaughter was tricked and eaten by the  _Big Bad Wolf_?"

"No, not by the wolf." Mrs. Brynna took a sip from her tea. "It was the shadow. The shadow took my little Maria."

Lavi's heart dropped. "The shadow? What shadow?"

She closed her eyes. "I remember it as if it had been just yesterday; I was thirteen years old. I used to go to play by the river with my brother, Aidan. We threw rocks, and gathered berries, all summer long. We never stayed past dusk; my mother never allowed it. She said that the forest at night was dangerous, we never believed her. We should have believed her."

"What happened?"

She took a deep breathe. "We were playing hide and seek, it was my turn to find Aidan. But I just couldn't find him. The sun was already down, and I was still walking around searching for him. I called his name, so many times, and he never answered."

"You never found him?"

"Oh, I found him. And I found that thing too." Her voice trembled and tears gathered on her eyes. "It was holding my brother by the throat, and he was bleeding from his head. And I froze, right there. I wanted to scream, to ask for help, but the words were stuck on my throat. Then it turned its head to look at me with those white eyes, and…"

"And?"

"I ran. I ran and ran until I couldn't anymore."

A sob was muffled by her hands covering her mouth. The young Exorcist quickly stood up and placed his arms around the old crying woman.

"I was so scared, I didn't know what to do, so I left my brother with that thing and I never saw him again. My father and some other men from the village found me, and they took me back. I tried telling everyone about the shadow man, but no one believed me. They looked for Aidan for a whole week, and they never found him." She whispered, tears falling down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry."

"My little brother was only seven, and that thing took him away from me. And now it took my dear Maria, and I don't know why. I simply can't understand why God would allow such monster to wander on this land and let it take innocent children and murder them."

Lavi didn't answer, and simply kept his arms around the sobbing woman. His heart was beating faster by the minute, his mind going over and over the story Mrs. Brynna had just told him. He needed to get back to the inn as soon as possible and call Headquarters; Komui would want to hear this story.

Slowly Mrs. Sayer calm down and took a deep breath. The Exorcist slowly let go off her, and took a seat next to her. She cleared her throat, and looked at Lavi with a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry you had to see me in that state, Dominique."

"It's quite alright,  _Madame_. We all need to vent out sometimes."

"God knows I needed that." She chuckled. "It's been so long since I had spoken about it to someone. After what happened to Aidan, people thought I was hallucinating about monsters killing my brother. Everyone was cautious of me, as if I was just going to suddenly start speaking about it again, or go insane."

"What about your parents? They didn't believe you?"

"No, they did not. They too, thought they were only the words of a terrified little girl who had seen a bear kill her brother. I suppose that, just like the whole town, they were scared something that horrible could actually be true."

"People are always scared of what they can't understand." He said, and the woman smiled.

"You are good boy, Dominique. Thank you for listening to this old woman, and… for not judging or laughing at me. I know you don't believe me, I know it's hard to do. Not even my late husband did, but he never laughed at me."

She took her teacup, not aware of the inner turmoil on Lavi's head.

" _On the contrary, Ma'am. I do believe you."_

**…o0o…**

"Dominique, où tu étais?"  _(Dominique, where have you been?)_

"Forget it, Gramps. We need to call, Komui. It's urgent." Lavi didn't even bother responding in French as he closed the door and made his way to the floor, where one Timothy Hearst was sitting.

"Woah, calm down,  _Stupid Rabbit_. You are going to bring the whole hotel down on us."

The blue-haired boy said angrily while catching a vase from toppling to the floor, as Lavi hit the bureau where it sat. Said young man was down on all fours searching for his suitcase below the bed. He started talking, ignoring Bookman's glare.

"I talked with a lady. Maria Baines's grandmother and she told me the story of when her brother disappeared when they were children. I don't think it was the circus crew who took the girl, it was something else."

"Maria's friend, Cadin, said the same." The youngest Exorcist said suddenly, looking at the old man and the red-head.

"You spoke with them?"

"Yes, they told me that when they were walking through the woods after the show ended; one of them saw something moving through the trees. Something big and scary. It was like a…"

"A shadow."

"How do you…?" Timothy asked in confusion.

"Mrs. Sayer said the same thing, although hers was of normal size. It killed her brother when they were just kids." The young man passed his fingers through his hair shakily. "I think it hides in the woods."

"Cadin saw it there, and he thinks that it took Maria. But why didn't they see it?"

"It was dark; they probably believed that it had something to do with the shadow the trees projected. And sometimes kids are more perceptive than adults." The short man then laced his fingers together and his eyes got a faraway look.

"What are you thinking about, Gramps?" Lavi asked; dread building on his gut by the old man's expression.

"That we should call Supervisor Lee. It is highly probable that there is indeed an Akuma connected to that circus." Bookman spoke in a deadly calm voice, his black eyes staring at his student.

"But I thought the Akuma only followed the Earl or the creepy guys with the grey skin."

"Akumas feed on souls, they need them to grow and change level."

"And what better than to follow the thing that brings the most people together than a circus?" The red-head explained taking the golem from his suitcase, and with a nervous expression he added. "Oh boy, we need to get that thing and kill it, before it grows more."

Lavi hurriedly dialed to Headquarters.

"Why?" Timothy asked confused, not understanding where both of them were getting at.

Bookman answered gravely. "Because if we are right, then we may have a potential Level 4 on the loose."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the kids are supposed to be speaking welsh, but Timothy, unlike Bookman and Lavi, it's just nine years old. His mother tongue is French, and because he is so young, speaking a second language wouldn't be so likely, much less a third. So, I made the Welsh people speak English, and added a few grammar mistakes when he speaks, and one or another word in French, for that same reason.


End file.
